Why Prince Charles Joked About His ‘Second-Class’ Appeal While With Princess Diana

Prince Charles knew very early on when he wed Princess Diana that he was no longer the star of the show. In fact, he verbalized this during a party that the former couple attended.

In the memoir of retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, he said that the future king once joked that he appeared second-class at the parties he attended whenever he was with his more dazzling wife. Stevens met the royal couple in 1985 at a formal dinner at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

“I have no memory of any of the works of art displayed on that occasion, but I vividly recall meeting Princess Diana and her then-husband, Prince Charles. Diana, an unforgettably beautiful and gracious woman, was the center of attention for one group of admirers after another,” he said.

Stevens also recalled standing with Prince Charles nearby, and the dad of two remarked about his second-class appeal whenever he and Diana attended joint events together. Steven’s revelation is in sync with reports claiming that as Princess Diana’s popularity rose across the globe, Prince Charles became eclipsed.

Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson, told People last year that Princess Diana sort of metamorphosed into a very elegant blonde beauty. When she and Prince Charles visited Wales, the latter realized that the people that were there came out to see his wife and not him.

Two years ago, the Princess of Wales’ brother, Charles Spencer, also said that Princess Diana had the ability to make any person totally at ease, which is an incredible gift.

Princess Diana was married to Prince Charles only for a couple of years because their relationship ended in divorce in 1996. Four years earlier, the couple announced that they have separated. Following their separation, Princess Diana starred in a controversial interview where she said that Prince Charles was not fit to be King.