Rare Images From Charles And Diana's Wedding Expose A Side The Royals Tried To Keep Quiet

When Charles and Diana tied the knot in 1981, their nuptials were dubbed the "wedding of the century." According to the BBC, the wedding would go down as one of the most-watched broadcasts in history. But as we all know, much of the drama that happened that day occurred behind the scenes. As a result, these rare images from the "wedding of the century" have an all-new meaning over 40 years later as Charles takes the throne as King.

Charles left a note for Diana before the wedding

Not everything between Charles and Diana was disastrous as they prepared for their wedding. According to Time magazine, the prince actually left a note for his bride-to-be before the event. In it, he said how proud he was of her. He also suggested how best to make it through the big day: “Just look 'em in the eye and knock 'em dead.”

The bride's debut

Diana arrived at the wedding accompanied by her father, Earl Spencer. They had traveled to St. Paul’s in a glass coach, barely big enough to accommodate them and the bride’s humongous gown. Nevertheless, Diana looks happy as she waves and smiles at the onlooking crowd.

Her shoes had a hidden message

No one was supposed to see the bottom of Diana’s shoes on the day, but that didn’t stop her designer from prettying them up. The man responsible, Clive Shilton, decorated the suede shoes with a heart pattern, 132 pearls, 542 sequins — and the tiny initials “C and D,” for Charles and Diana, on the heel. That’s rather sweet.

The longest train in royal wedding history

It seemed that Diana wanted to make quite the impression on her big day, as she stepped out with the longest train in royal wedding history. It measured 25 feet and was designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel. Here, some of Diana’s five bridesmaids grapple with the lengthy accessory as she prepares to make her entrance into St. Paul’s Cathedral.