

Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to Marie Claire. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
Royal fans and avid The Crown viewers alike know that Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage wasn't exactly the fairytale love story people hoped it would be, but royal expert Elizabeth Holmes is taking that analysis one step further.
Speaking to Us Weekly, the author of HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style, said that the Wales' marriage was "almost like a business transaction," which sounds about as appealing as wearing wet socks, if you ask me. "Diana just checked so many boxes and sort of slotted right in, and was clearly very eager and willing and wanting to please," Holmes continued.
The expert then address the royal couple's extremely short courtship. "It was so brief," she said. "That sort of speaks to how [Charles] was approaching this and the pressures that he was feeling. … It was sort of like a formality, almost." That's really not sounding any bettter.
"She’s making this huge life decision without stable family behind her [and] much guidance," Holmes said of Diana, who married at only 19 years old. "Looking back in hindsight, it’s very easy to find all the red flags. … It was like, 'We’re marching forth. We’re doing our duty.'"
As Holmes might have predicted had she been on the case at the time, the pair, who are parents to Princes William and Harry, divorced in 1996. Diana tragically died in a car accident in Paris in 1997. As for Prince Charles, he married his long-time love Camilla Parker-Bowles in 2005.
Related Stories
Marie Claire Newsletter
Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Bustle and Shape. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
-
Taylor Swift is at Travis Kelce’s Chiefs Game in Kansas City—With His Mom, Donna
Well, that clears that up.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Prince William and Princess Kate Literally Face the Same Woe as Every Other Parent
They may be royalty, but kids are kids.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Expert Says of Princess Kate’s Recent Transformation That “We Are Seeing the Real Kate Now”
Her revved up charisma matches that of a beloved royal family member that was anything but self-conscious.
By Rachel Burchfield
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
By Charlotte Chilton
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
By Mehera Bonner
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's Relationship: A Timeline
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has ascended to the throne as king.
By The Editors
-
Who Is Next in Line for the British Throne, Explained
And yes—Harry and Archie are still in the line of succession.
By Andrea Park
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
By Katherine J. Igoe
-
68 Times the Kardashians Posed Fully Nude and Owned It
And we mean fully nude—as in, not a shred of clothing.
By Bianca Rodriguez
-
Who Is Jonathan Owens, Simone Biles's Fiancé and NFL Player?
"The easiest yes!" Simone wrote about the couple's engagement.
By The Editors