Princess Diana and King Charles photo sparks fresh reaction as unusual detail spotted
With today (31 Aug) marking 29 years since the death of Princess Diana, snapshots of her life have been unearthed.
Several photos circulating on social media were taken during the late Princess of Wales' marriage to then-Prince Charles, one of which has sparked an interesting discussion online.
As a reminder, the former couple married in 1981, their wedding becoming one of the most famous royal celebrations in history.
After tying the knot, Charles regularly brought his wife to stay with his family at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.
Advert
During their marriage, they'd go on to spend holidays there with other royals, enjoying the estate’s rural surroundings and traditional country pursuits.
Balmoral Castle was actually where the couple spent their honeymoon, and just months after they said 'I do', Charles and Diana were photographed taking a walk along the banks of the River Dee on the grounds.
In one image, the duo pose for a portrait along the water, Charles wearing a kilt and teal jumper, and Diana - whose arm is seen raised around her husband's neck - wearing a checkered suit designed by Bill Pashley.
The pair stare off into the distance, Diana smiling as she leans into Charles, nestling her head in the space between his chest and chin.
It's a sweet photo, despite the fact that the couple would later endure a bitter break-up, with differences in personality and Charles' continuing relationship with his now-wife, Queen Camilla, having placed strains upon their marriage.
But one element of the picture has left modern-day viewers scratching their heads - in the photo, Charles looks at least a foot taller than his Mrs, whereas, in reality, he and Diana were the same height.
In a similar snap taken the same day. Charles is seen resting his arm across Diana's shoulders, looking towards the ground, smiling while she turns towards him, as if the pair are sharing a moment of amusement.
Again, Diana looks considerably smaller than her husband, despite them each being 5'10".
One social media user recently suggested: "They ALWAYS made Diana crouch to make Charles appear taller. Look at their official wedding portraits - it looks like he is quite a bit taller than her, but if you look at their wedding ceremony, they are close to the same height."
Another claimed: "At the beginning of their relationship, Diana always wore flat shoes so as not to appear taller than Charles. As their relationship deteriorated (for reasons we all know), she began to wear heels which purposefully became higher as her confidence increased..."
"Most photographers continue to do this when capturing couples," a third continued. "Look at most old or current, and you'll find this."
And apparently, it's completely true.
In his book, Battle of Brothers: William and Harry – The Inside Story of a Family in Tumult, royal biographer and historian Robert Lacey reflected on the couple's wedding day.
"The bride's intricate ivory taffeta gown was paired with a lace veil no less than 153 yards long, together with an eighteenth-century heirloom tiara, while her silk bridal slippers were embroidered with 542 sequins and 132 matching pearls—the heels kept deliberately low so as not to upstage the groom: at five foot ten, Diana was exactly the same height as Charles," Lacey wrote.
The couple separated in 1992 after 11 years together, and four years later, their divorce was finalised.
Topics: Princess Diana, King Charles III, Royal Family, UK News
Rhianna Benson