The marriage of Princess Diana and King Charles III remains one of the most talked-about royal relationships in modern history. Their 1981 wedding captured global attention and became a defining moment for the British royal family. But before Diana entered the royal spotlight, it was actually her older sister, Lady Sarah Spencer, who briefly dated the future king.
Their relationship ended abruptly in 1978 after a candid interview, which many royal historians believe played a decisive role in changing the course of royal history.
Lady Sarah Spencer and Prince Charles: A Brief Royal Romance
Lady Sarah Spencer was born in 1955 as the eldest daughter of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, and Frances Shand Kydd. She grew up at Althorp House, the Spencer family estate in Northamptonshire, alongside her siblings Jane (born 1957), Diana (born 1961), and Charles (born 1964), who is now the 9th Earl Spencer.
The Spencers are a prominent aristocratic family with long-standing ties to the British monarchy. By the late 1970s, Prince Charles, then in his late twenties, was under increasing public and private pressure to find a suitable bride. As the heir to the throne, his romantic life was closely followed by the media.
In 1977, Lady Sarah and Prince Charles began seeing each other socially. They were photographed together at several public events, including polo matches, which sparked media speculation about a possible royal engagement. Royal historian Penny Junor and author Tina Brown both documented this period in their respective works, noting how Sarah was seen as a potential future bride for the prince.
The 1978 Interview That Changed Everything
Their relationship came to an abrupt end after Lady Sarah gave an unusually candid interview to journalists Nigel Nelson and James Whitaker during a lunch in London. This conversation followed a ski trip she had taken with Prince Charles to Klosters, a popular resort in Switzerland often visited by the royal family.
In the interview, Sarah openly stated that she had no intention of marrying Charles if she didn’t love him, emphasizing that she would not marry someone simply because of their title. She also discussed aspects of her personal history, including past struggles during her youth.
When these comments were published, they reportedly caused tension between Sarah and Charles. According to Tina Brown’s The Diana Chronicles, Sarah quickly recognized that speaking so openly to the press about a member of the royal family was a misstep, particularly at a time when privacy and discretion were paramount within royal circles.
Shortly after the interview, the relationship ended. Lady Sarah later married Neil Edmund McCorquodale in 1980, a union that has lasted for decades.
Diana’s First Meeting with Prince Charles
Two years after Sarah and Charles ended their brief relationship, Lady Sarah played a key role in introducing her younger sister Diana to the prince.
In 1977, Diana Spencer was just 16 years old when she first met Prince Charles at Althorp House. According to Penny Junor, their connection deepened a few years later, after the assassination of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Charles’s great-uncle and mentor, by the IRA in 1979.
During a meeting at a friend’s home, Diana expressed sympathy for Charles’s loss, which made a strong impression on him. Royal historians note that this moment was a turning point in their acquaintance, as Charles found her kindness comforting during a difficult time.
The Royal Wedding That Captivated the World
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer became engaged in February 1981. Their wedding on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul’s Cathedral, was broadcast worldwide and watched by an estimated 750 million people. The Archbishop of Canterbury famously described it as “the stuff of fairy tales.”
Diana’s background as an aristocrat and her public image as a warm and relatable figure made her immensely popular. She worked as a nursery assistant before her marriage, and her down-to-earth demeanor was a refreshing contrast to the formality of royal life.
Lady Sarah’s Role in Diana’s Life
Although Sarah’s romantic relationship with Prince Charles ended years earlier, she remained close to her younger sister throughout Diana’s time as Princess of Wales. Sarah became one of Diana’s ladies-in-waiting and was frequently seen accompanying her during public engagements.
After Diana’s tragic death in 1997, Sarah, along with her sister Lady Jane Fellowes, played an important role in supporting Diana’s sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Sarah served as President of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund until its closure in 2012.
She has maintained a low public profile in recent decades but remains a respected figure within the extended royal family.
Camilla’s Role and the Broader Royal Timeline
Prince Charles’s romantic life has long been intertwined with Camilla Shand, later Camilla Parker Bowles. Due to the royal expectations and traditions of the time, Charles and Camilla did not marry when they were young, leading Charles to pursue other relationships, including with Lady Sarah Spencer and later Diana.
Following the dissolution of Charles and Diana’s marriage in 1996 and Diana’s death in 1997, Charles and Camilla’s relationship gradually became public. The couple married in 2005, and Camilla became Queen Consort upon Charles’s accession to the throne in 2022.
A Fascinating “What If” in Royal History
The brief relationship between Lady Sarah Spencer and Prince Charles remains a fascinating footnote in royal history. If their relationship had progressed further, the royal family’s trajectory might have been dramatically different.
However, Sarah herself expressed contentment with how events unfolded. She is famously quoted as saying that she acted as “Cupid” in introducing her sister to the future king.
Diana went on to become one of the most iconic figures of the late 20th century. Her humanitarian work, charisma, and compassion left a lasting impact on the British monarchy and the world.
Legacy of Lady Sarah McCorquodale
Today, Lady Sarah McCorquodale lives a largely private life. She occasionally attends family events and remains close to her nephews, Prince William and Prince Harry. Her early connection with Prince Charles is often revisited by royal historians and biographers as an example of how personal choices, timing, and media attention shaped the lives of the British royal family.
Conclusion
Lady Sarah Spencer’s brief relationship with Prince Charles in the late 1970s is more than a curious anecdote — it played a subtle but pivotal role in shaping royal history. Her candid comments to the press ended their romance, but ultimately set the stage for Diana and Charles’s introduction, leading to one of the most famous royal marriages of the modern era.
Through the years, Lady Sarah has remained a supportive sister and family member, preserving Diana’s legacy while maintaining a private life. Her story adds depth to our understanding of the Spencer family’s enduring role in the British monarchy.