<p id=”par-1_67″>From the moment <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/princess-diana/”>Princess Diana</a> married then-Prince Charles in 1981, she sensed she would face an <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-real-princess-diana-insider-stories-kensington-palace-staff.html/?swcfpc=1″>uphill battle</a> for his love. Throughout their 16-year marriage, she was <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/princess-diana-sassy-seductive-gift-prince-charles-sparked-three-word-chilly-royal-response.html/?swcfpc=1″>constantly overshadowed</a> by his deep connection with Camilla Parker Bowles, leaving her plagued by insecurity. However, it wasn’t until Diana made a haunting comment about finding “peace” <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/princess-diana-first-revenge-dress-revisited.html/?swcfpc=1″>beyond their marriage</a> that she truly realized she was capable of being loved.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-princess-diana-found-what-she-was-looking-for-away-from-prince-charles”>Princess Diana found what she was looking for, away from Prince Charles</h2>
<p id=”par-2_50″>Princess Diana was just 19 when she began a relationship with Prince Charles, 32. While she had a few youthful romances, including brief connections with James Colthurst and Rory Scott, none were considered serious or long-term. At the time of her engagement to Charles, Diana was largely inexperienced in romance.</p>
<p id=”par-3_60″>Therefore she was enamored with Charles and the idea of being his wife, but Diana was painfully aware of Charles’ lingering affection for Camilla Parker Bowles. Reports suggest he frequently called Camilla during his engagement, further fueling Diana’s insecurities. It was later revealed that Charles had doubts about marrying Diana but felt pressured by the royal family to do so.</p>
<p id=”par-4_56″>Diana reportedly felt emotionally isolated from Charles, even before their wedding. Charles reportedly showed little patience for her struggles and spent much of his time away, pursuing his interests. His coldness foreshadowed the turmoil that would later define their marriage. Their troubled union eventually ended in divorce, proving that the warning signs were there all along.</p>
<p id=”par-5_42″>However, it was near the end of her marriage to Charles that [per <a href=”https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/inside-princess-dianas-loves-heartbreaks-and-true-romances#:~:text=%E2%80%9CShe%20was%20emotionally%20more%20stable%20when%20she,given%20me%20all%20the%20things%20I%20need.%E2%80%9D” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Vanity Fair</a>] Diana met the man she felt was the love of her life. Dr. Hasnat Khan was a heart surgeon and he and Diana’s relationship turned serious quickly.</p>
<p id=”par-6_23″>A friend of the princess claimed Diana told him about Khan, “I found my peace. He has given me all the things I need.”</p>
<p id=”par-7_33″>However, their relationship was doomed. Hasnat was <a href=”https://www.vanityfair.com/style/royals/2013/09/princess-diana-love-hasnat-khan?srsltid=AfmBOopxeSZGXzMan8lmZTI49-C6FCOJunIK4t_ciEYLrmwXcDaxEQil” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>leery of the press attention</a> Diana received. “I did not want to have to look over my shoulder all the time,” he said, per Vanity Fair.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-how-long-did-princess-diana-date-hasnat-khan”>How long did Princess Diana date Hasnat Khan?</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hasnat-khan-princess-diana.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Hasnat Khan and Princess Diana in side-by-side photographs” class=”wp-image-3783655″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Hasnat Khan and Princess Diana in side-by-side photographs | Stan Karczmarz/Princess Diana Archive/Sygma via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-8_35″>Diana met Hasnat Khan in 1995 while visiting a friend at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital. Unlike her past relationships, this romance remained largely out of the public eye. The two shared a deep emotional connection.</p>
<p id=”par-9_53″>Diana and Khan dated from 1995 until the summer of 1997. Despite their strong bond, their relationship was fraught with challenges. Khan was intensely private and uncomfortable with the media frenzy surrounding Diana. He reportedly believed marriage to her would be impossible due to her global fame and the scrutiny it would bring.</p>
<p id=”par-10_65″>By mid-1997, their relationship began to unravel. Friends of the couple claimed Khan struggled with the pressures of Diana’s celebrity status. Reports suggest Diana ended the romance, though some say Khan was the one to walk away. Shortly after their breakup, Diana began her highly publicized relationship with Dodi Fayed. However, those close to her believed Hasnat Khan remained the true love of her life.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-when-did-princess-diana-and-prince-charles-divorce-become-final”>When did Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ divorce become final?</h2>
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Princess Diana’s Heartbreaking Wedding Day Secret: The Gift She Left Behind </a>
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<p id=”par-11_36″>Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ highly publicized marriage ended in divorce after years of turmoil. Though their separation was announced in 1992, their divorce wasn’t finalized until 1996, marking the official end of their 15-year union.</p>
<p id=”par-12_43″>Diana and Charles’ marriage had been troubled for years, with both admitting to affairs. In December 1992, then-Prime Minister John Major announced their official separation, though they remained legally married. The couple continued to carry out royal duties separately, but tensions only grew.</p>
<p id=”par-13_58″>Following Queen Elizabeth II’s urging, Charles and Diana agreed to a divorce. On August 28, 1996, their marriage was legally dissolved. As part of the settlement, Diana received a lump sum of around $22.5 million, along with an annual allowance for her private office. She was allowed to keep her Kensington Palace residence but lost her royal highness.</p>
<p id=”par-14_50″>After the divorce, Diana focused on her humanitarian work and continued to co-parent Prince William and Prince Harry with Charles. Despite the split, she remained one of the most beloved figures in the royal family. Tragically, just one year later, Diana died in a car crash in Paris, at 36.</p>