Princess Diana of Wales was known for her willingness to defy royal tradition and her ability to connect with ordinary people.
One of the most extensive lists of royal wedding traditions you’ll ever see.
There isn’t a detail of the wedding plans that is overlooked, whether it’s the cuisine served at the reception, the order of arrivals at the church, or the bride and groom’s jewellery.
As a result, it should come as no surprise that the night before her big wedding to Prince Charles, she did something that most people wouldn’t expect from a royal bridesmaid.
The night before their wedding, most brides experience a mixture of excitement and nerves, according to The Mirror.
Princess Diana, it appears, was no exception the day before her wedding 40 years ago.
She stayed at Clarence House the night before the ceremony before marrying Prince Charles in front of a global audience at St Paul’s Cathedral.
As night fell on London, there was a buzz around the city as crowds began to form the day before the ceremony.
As a result, Diana was understandably too excited and nervous to sleep.
So, to let off steam, she hopped on a bike, spun around in circles, and sang, “‘I’m marrying the Prince of Wales tomorrow!”
Tina Brown, a former Vanity Fair editor, revealed the storey in her book The Diana Chronicles.
She claims she went downstairs to speak with the Queen Mother’s former steward William Tallon, also known as Backstairs Billy, and to get a drink because Diana couldn’t sleep.
However, on her way out, she spotted a bike in the corner of the room and jumped on it, riding around in circles and ringing the bell while singing.
Despite having reservations about his marriage, Prince Charles wrote a sweet and supportive note to his bride the night before the wedding.
Penny Junor, a royal author, writes about Camilla in her book: “He sent Diana a note and a signet ring with the Prince of Wales feathers the night before the wedding, which she spent at Clarence House with her sister Jane.
“I’m so proud of you, and when you come up, I’ll be waiting for you at the altar tomorrow,” he wrote. Simply look them in the eyes and kill them.’ “, according to the Express.
Ms Junor also claims that Charles thought the wedding was a mistake but that he couldn’t back out because it was too late.
Charles and Diana welcomed Prince William and later Prince Harry a year after their fairytale wedding, but the couple divorced in 1992 after their marriage fell apart.
Diana died tragically in a car accident in Paris a year after the couple divorced in 1996.