When the Prince of Wales married Lady Diana Spencer in 1981, it seemed like a fairy-tale wedding to cement the next generations of the British royal family. As we all know, though, it didn't last for long. The couple were in conflict from the very start, made worse by their significant age gap and very different personalities. Although they stayed together long enough to have two sons — Prince William and Prince Harry — the couple couldn't make it last and chose to separate but not divorce at first.
Both began affairs in the early 1990s: Diana with officer Major James Hewitt and Charles with ex-girlfriend (and future second wife) Camilla Parker Bowles. In 1992, scandalous recordings leaked that revealed the depth of their marital woes, and the couple divorced in 1996. Diana lost her "Royal Highness" style but kept the title of "Princess of Wales" until her death in 1997.