Prince Charles and Princess Diana had a tumultuous marriage that ended in a highly publicized divorce. Here's a complete timeline of their relationship.

Erin McDowellDec 1, 2020, 23:26 IST

Prince Charles and Princess Diana's first tour of Australia was a game-changer in their marriage.David Levenson/Getty Images

The latest season of "The Crown" shows the fictionalized beginning of Prince Charles' and Princess Diana's tumultuous relationship, and the royal couple's real-life love story was arguably just as dramatic.
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer met through her sister, Sarah Spencer.
At the time, Diana was just 16 years old and Prince Charles was 29.
Prince Charles and Princess Diana were together for 15 years before divorcing in 1996.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana's relationship, marriage, and eventual divorce have been the subject of public fascination for decades.

Now, the relationship is gaining renewed publicity due to Netflix's "The Crown," which tells a fictional version of the couple's early years in its fourth season.

Here's a timeline of Prince Charles and Princess Diana's tumultuous relationship, from when the young couple first met to their tragic end.

Early 1970s: Prince Charles dated Camilla Parker Bowles. The pair would remain connected for the rest of their lives, impacting his relationship with Diana.

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles at a polo match in 1975. Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis/Getty Images

Late 1970s: Charles and Diana were introduced through the prince's relationship with Diana's sister, Sarah Spencer, in 1977.

Sarah Spencer with Prince Charles in 1977. Serge Lemoine/Getty Images

July 1980: Three years later, Diana Spencer and Prince Charles met again, igniting a romantic relationship.

Diana Spencer in 1980. Evening Standard/Getty Images

February 24, 1981: Prince Charles, then 32, and Diana, then 19, announced their engagement.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana after announcing their engagement in 1981. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

May 1981: Diana Spencer spent time with Prince Charles and the royal family at Balmoral Castle in Scotland months before the couple tied the knot.

Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in Balmoral, Scotland, in 1981. Bob Thomas/Popperfoto/Getty Images

July 29, 1981: Prince Charles and Diana were married in a spectacular televised ceremony.

Princess Diana and Prince Charles kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their wedding ceremony. Getty Images

July 1981: The couple's honeymoon foreshadowed future issues.

Prince Charles kisses the hand of Princess Diana at a photo-call during their honeymoon. Bob Thomas/Popperfoto/Getty Images

June 21, 1982: Prince William was born.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana with their newborn son, Prince William, in June 1982. Jon Hoffman/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

March 1983: Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and Prince William arrived in Australia for the couple's first official royal tour.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana arrive for their first royal tour holding baby Prince William. Bob Thomas/Popperfoto/Getty Images

1983: "Diana fever" swept the world as the princess' popularity grew.

Princess Diana greeting admirers. Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

September 15, 1984: Prince Harry was born.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana leaving the hospital after the birth of Prince Harry in September 1984. R Wells, J Fraser, P Brooks/Mirrorpix/Getty Images

July 1986: From the outside looking in, Prince Charles and Princess Diana appeared to have a happy marriage.

Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Prince Harry, and Prince William at Highgrove in July 1986. Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images

1987: After Princess Diana's bodyguard was transferred to another role due to rumors the two were having a romantic relationship, trouble between the royal couple became more public.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana in Italy. Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

1987: After Princess Diana's bodyguard was transferred to another role due to rumors the two were having a romantic relationship, trouble between the royal couple became more public.

1986: Prince Charles reportedly started a romantic relationship with his ex-girlfriend and friend, Camilla Parker Bowles.

Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles in 1979. Getty Images

1989: Princess Diana confronted Camilla about the affair at a birthday party.

Princess Diana in 1989. Georges De Keerle/Getty Images

November 1992: Details about Prince Charles' affair with Camilla were leaked to the Daily Mail in a scandal dubbed "Camillagate."

Lady Diana Spencer and Camilla Parker Bowles in 1980. Express Newspapers/Getty Images

December 1992: Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated, and they carried out their royal duties apart from each other.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana in February 1992. Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

June 1994: Prince Charles publicly admitted to having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles and Princess Diana wore her famous "revenge dress."

Princess Diana wearing the "revenge dress" to a Vanity Fair party in 1994. Jayne Fincher/Getty Images

January 1995: Camilla Parker Bowles filed for a divorce from her husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.

Camilla Parker Bowles and Andrew Parker Bowles in 1992. David Giles/PA Images/Getty Images

August 1996: Charles and Diana officially filed for divorce after 15 years of marriage.

Prince Charles and Diana in 1992. Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

The late 1990s: Princess Diana was romantically linked to multiple men in the tabloids.

Princess Diana during a vacation with Dodi Fayed (not pictured) in July 1997. Michel Dufour/WireImage/Getty Images

August 31, 1997: Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris.

A tribute to Princess Diana outside Kensington Palace in 1998. Fiona Hanson - PA Images/PA Images/Getty Images

April 9, 2005: Prince Charles and Camilla officially married after years of courtship.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, after their wedding in 2005. Bob Collier/pool/AP

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Prince Charles and Princess Diana had a tumultuous marriage that ended in a highly publicized divorce. Here's a complete timeline of their relationship.

Early 1970s: Prince Charles dated Camilla Parker Bowles. The pair would remain connected for the rest of their lives, impacting his relationship with Diana.

Late 1970s: Charles and Diana were introduced through the prince's relationship with Diana's sister, Sarah Spencer, in 1977.

July 1980: Three years later, Diana Spencer and Prince Charles met again, igniting a romantic relationship.

February 24, 1981: Prince Charles, then 32, and Diana, then 19, announced their engagement.

May 1981: Diana Spencer spent time with Prince Charles and the royal family at Balmoral Castle in Scotland months before the couple tied the knot.

July 29, 1981: Prince Charles and Diana were married in a spectacular televised ceremony.

July 1981: The couple's honeymoon foreshadowed future issues.

June 21, 1982: Prince William was born.

March 1983: Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and Prince William arrived in Australia for the couple's first official royal tour.

1983: "Diana fever" swept the world as the princess' popularity grew.

September 15, 1984: Prince Harry was born.

July 1986: From the outside looking in, Prince Charles and Princess Diana appeared to have a happy marriage.

1987: After Princess Diana's bodyguard was transferred to another role due to rumors the two were having a romantic relationship, trouble between the royal couple became more public.

1986: Prince Charles reportedly started a romantic relationship with his ex-girlfriend and friend, Camilla Parker Bowles.

1989: Princess Diana confronted Camilla about the affair at a birthday party.

November 1992: Details about Prince Charles' affair with Camilla were leaked to the Daily Mail in a scandal dubbed "Camillagate."

December 1992: Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated, and they carried out their royal duties apart from each other.

June 1994: Prince Charles publicly admitted to having an affair with Camilla Parker Bowles and Princess Diana wore her famous "revenge dress."

January 1995: Camilla Parker Bowles filed for a divorce from her husband, Andrew Parker Bowles.

August 1996: Charles and Diana officially filed for divorce after 15 years of marriage.

The late 1990s: Princess Diana was romantically linked to multiple men in the tabloids.

August 31, 1997: Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris.

April 9, 2005: Prince Charles and Camilla officially married after years of courtship.