The fourth season of Netflix's The Crown dove into the era of 1977-1990. Viewers saw the rise of Britain's first female prime minister, the death of Lord Mountbatten, and South Africa's apartheid. But one of the main storylines in the fourth season was the romance between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
As one of the most popular royal couples in British history, fans couldn't wait to see showrunner Peter Morgan's take on this relationship. And as expected, the inner workings of Diana's mind during this time period were incredibly emotional. For a life full of riches and royals, Diana suffered unbelievable sadness.
Her Husband Was Having An Affair
Throughout The Crown, Prince Charles's heart always belonged to Camilla Parker Bowles. The two had known each other for years and were hopelessly in love but were torn apart because of the royal family. Queen Elizabeth didn't find Camilla suitable enough for the crown and encouraged Charles to choose someone else as a wife. That's where Diana came in.
Sadly, marrying Lady Diana Spencer didn't stop Charles' feelings for Camilla. The two continued their romance throughout his marriage. The realization was devastating for Diana.
Her Eating Disorder
Diana thought that being engaged to Prince Charles would lead her to a life of romance. What she got instead was a great deal of loneliness. In the show, she was separated from her three flatmates and didn't have family or friends over.
It was just her and her etiquette teacher, and the loneliness and self-doubt took over. The only things Diana was able to control in her life were her looks and what she ate. She began eating enough food until she was sick and then would throw it up. It was the start of Diana's bulimia nervosa.
Her Separation From Society
In the series, Diana went from a fun-loving young woman to a royal prisoner. She used to live in the heart of London with three of her best friends. The foursome was seen clubbing and having a fabulous time when Diana started dating Prince Charles, and it was clear that her friends meant a great deal to her.
But after moving into the royal homes, Diana was separated from her old life. She was never seen with her friends again, and her sister didn't stop by to see how she was doing. Diana was totally alone.
Being Scolded For Being Loved
At the beginning of Prince Charles and Princess Diana's marriage, Diana wasn't sure where she belonged. She was there to and praise her husband but the crowd didn't want her husband — they wanted her. Prince Charles became insanely jealous of the attention Diana was receiving and scolded her for it.
An example of this is when the couple went to the theater together. Knowing how much her husband loved the theater, Diana secretly ed one of the dancers for a performance to surprise Charles. Sadly, Charles was not enchanted by her performance. He thought it was embarrassing and loathed how much people loved her.
Her War With Paparazzi
When Diana became a princess after marrying Prince Charles, the paparazzi worsened as her popularity grew. Everyone wanted to know the "People's Princess." The entire world couldn't get enough of her. They wanted to know what she was wearing, what music she was listening to, how her marriage was going... This meant the paparazzi were relentless. They followed her to her car and invaded her personal space. Diana felt trapped.
The Royal Family Felt No Sympathy For Her
Before Diana and Charles became serious, he put her through a series of tests with his family to make sure she was tough enough to make it as a royal. Diana ed the tests with flying colors. She went deer stalking with Prince Philip as a way to get to know each other better and it was a raving success. Diana really bonded with everyone.
Sadly, once they became married, Diana soon realized that her husband didn't love her and her new family didn't care about her happiness. Everything was about duty to one's country and she had no sympathy from her in-laws.
She Loses Herself In Dance
The only way Princess Diana can release steam and anxiety is through dance. Diana loved dancing in The Crown and was often seen listening to popular '80s music while dancing around the palace. In one scene, Diana was practicing ballet and danced through an array of emotions. Viewers could see the pain and fear through every movement. It makes one wonder if Princess Margaret did similar things to get through the stress when she didn't have anyone.
A One-Sided Marriage
It was obvious from the start that Princess Diana and Prince Charles had a one-sided marriage in The Crown. Diana was infatuated with Charles from the start and assumed he chose to marry her because he loved her. She didn't realize he chose her because she was a perfect breeding partner for the royal family and wasn't loud enough to break up his on-going romance with Camilla.
But through all of their arguments, Diana realized she wanted the marriage to work in "Avalanche." Prince Charles, on the other hand, wanted it to end. He was bothered that Diana cared so much because it made him look bad to his parents.
Her Lonely Pregnancy
Was Prince Charles and Princess Diana's relationship going to heal itself when she fell pregnant with William? That wasn't the case in The Crown. Diana had severe morning sickness and wasn't capable of performing many of her royal duties. Prince Charles and co. found a problem with this. They thought she was being difficult and judged her for staying back. If anyone should have ed and cared for Diana's condition, it should have been her husband.
Being Forced To Move To The Country
As if Diana's pregnancy wasn't hard enough for her, Prince Charles moved them out to the country. He was building his dream home right down the road from Camilla's house. He told the queen all about his plans for the yard and what he wants the land's essence to be like. The queen quickly caught on that he was only thinking about his own happiness; not about the wants and needs of his pregnant, sick wife. Princess Diana felt like a prisoner in the countryside as her husband escaped most days to be with his mistress.