Prince Charles and Princess Diana: A Closer Look at Their Affairs and Romances

The Intriguing Love Lives of Prince Charles and Princess Diana

The Crown, a popular Netflix series, has shed light on the romantic relationships within the royal family.

While earlier seasons explored Prince Charles' affair with Camilla Parker Bowles, Season 4 delved into the complexities of Charles and Diana's tumultuous marriage, including the extramarital affairs they both engaged in.

The newly released Season 5 promises to delve even deeper into how these affairs affected the couple's relationship.

In Season 4 of The Crown, viewers caught a glimpse of Diana's relationship with her bodyguard, Barry Mannakee, through a joke made by Princess Anne.

However, in real life, Mannakee played a significant role in Diana's life.

Private recordings made by Diana, which were released after her death, revealed her profound feelings for Mannakee.

She referred to him as the “greatest love” she had ever experienced and even expressed her willingness to give up everything for him.

Tragically, Mannakee died in a motorcycle accident in 1987, which Diana believed was a planned event.

She described him as the most important person in her life and admitted that she was only happy when he was around.

Another important figure in Diana's romantic history was James Hewitt.

The Crown Season 4 briefly touched upon their relationship, which began after her involvement with Mannakee ended.

According to Anna Pasternak's book Princess in Love, Hewitt revealed that their affair lasted from 1986 to 1991.

In a 1999 book titled Love and War, Hewitt disclosed that their relationship began when Diana asked him to give her riding lessons.

He candidly admitted, “Only one thing went wrong.

We fell in love.”

Diana also found solace in her old friend James Gilbey during her turbulent marriage to Charles.

Gilbey, who was known as “the heir to a large gin fortune,” reconnected with Diana in the late '80s.

Their relationship became scandalous when a leaked phone conversation between them, known as “Squidgygate,” revealed intimate moments and endearing nicknames.

However, Gilbey has maintained that they were only friends.

In 1992, Diana allegedly started an affair with art dealer Oliver Hoare.

This affair coincided with the announcement of Charles and Diana's separation.

Hoare had been a close friend of Charles, and Diana had known him for quite some time.

The affair reportedly ended when Hoare's wife threatened to file for divorce unless he ended his relationship with Diana.

One of the most prominent figures in Charles' romantic past is Camilla Parker Bowles.

Despite marrying other people, Charles and Camilla remained close throughout the years.

Their physical relationship resumed in 1986, leading to confirmation of their affair in 1993 when a leaked tape revealed an inappropriate phone conversation between them.

Diana famously remarked in her 1995 interview for BBC One's Panorama, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”

Camilla filed for divorce in 1995, while Charles and Diana finalized their divorce in 1996.

While most of Charles' alleged romances occurred before his marriage to Diana, rumors suggest that he had a crush on Barbra Streisand, and there may have been something romantic between them.

According to author Christopher Andersen, Charles and Streisand had a secret rendezvous at the Bel Air Hotel in Los Angeles 20 years after they first met on the set of Funny Girl in 1974.

It remains unclear whether this rumor holds any truth.

The Crown has offered viewers a glimpse into the complex love lives of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Their affairs and romances have shaped their relationship and left a lasting impact on both of them.

As Season 5 delves further into their stories, audiences can expect to witness the highs and lows of these intriguing relationships.