King Charles Proposed To His Second Cousin Before Marrying Princess Diana

The British monarchy is a family affair, and King Charles' first proposal was nearly as well. 

King Charles has been married to Camilla Parker Bowles since April 9, 2005, when he was still just a prince. The tragic death of Queen Elizabeth II has allowed Charles and Camilla to ascend to the throne as King and Queen, but their union will likely never match the impact of his marriage to Princess Diana. From 1981-1996 Charles and Diana took the world by storm, garnering worldwide devotion. Unfortunately, they also suffered many low moments, and Charles' affair with Bowles ranks highest on the list.

Despite the controversies, Princess Diana's unexpected surge of popularity followed her outside of their marriage, even though she spoke about her toxic bond with Charles and the suffocating, stifling consequences of royal living. Roughly one year after their unprecedented divorce, Diana died in a car accident, which inspired endless mourning and conspiracy theories. Given the historical impact of Princess Diana and her relationship with Charles, it's difficult to imagine royal family history without her contributions. However, that was almost our reality. Before Charles decided to marry Diana (or cheat with Camilla), he had his eyes set on another prominent lady in his life: his second cousin.

Shortly before Prince Charles married Princess Diana in 1981, he considered marrying his second cousin, Amanda Knatchbull. According to Robert Lacey, who wrote "Battle of Brothers," Charles decided to propose to Knatchbull after his great uncle, Lord Mountbatten, suggested it. "Over the years the two cousins did grow close, developing a mutual respect and friendship that has lasted to the present day," Lacey wrote, according to Express. However, Knatchbull didn't accept Charles' proposal because she didn't want to be shackled to the royal family after the tragic killing of Lord Mountbatten, who Knatchbull and Charles shared as a great uncle.

Author and journalist Penny Junor explained on Channel 4's "The Royal House of Windsor," "[Charles and Amanda] had been together a lot, and I think that actually the relationship was too close. They were like brother and sister." 10 years later, Knatchbull married Charles Vincent Ellingworth and would go on to have three children together. Unlike other prominent members of the royal family, Knatchbull appears to lead a lowkey life, tucked comfortably out of the public eye that she reportedly wanted to avoid. But she'll always be attached to this rather disturbing tidbit about Charles' life.

If King Charles' almost marrying his family member isn't uncomfortable enough — just know it gets stranger. Charles also dated one of Princess Diana's sisters. And while that's not quite as unusual, it's still the kind of thing that could've definitely induced a bunch of drama and backlash.  According to Tatler, Charles actually dated Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Diana's oldest sister, before he ever met her. However, Charles was reportedly turned off after McCorquodale gave an interview with Time, which cast an embarrassing, unflattering light on him and their romance. 

At the time, Diana was only 16 years old, so it would be several years before Charles initiated contact. It's been said that despite the overlapping romantic history, Sarah and Diana enjoyed a healthy sisterly relationship. Since Diana's untimely death, Sarah has maintained a close relationship with Prince William, Prince Harry, and other members of the royal family. Her most recent public appearance was at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's christening ceremony for their daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, according to the Daily Mail.

King Charles and Queen Camilla met years before he and Princess Diana wed. According to the BBC, a 1970 polo match that took place in Windsor Park is where Charles and Camilla first encountered each other. They subsequently dated for a time, Us Weekly noted, but their connection didn't endure. While Charles ended up joining the Royal Navy, Camilla tied the knot with Major Andrew Parker Bowles in 1973. Later, in 1992, People detailed Charles' emotions in this early, short-lived courtship, per Elle. "Although the smitten prince courted her for six months, he failed to propose before returning to sea in February 1973," the magazine reported.

Charles' love for Camilla would later interfere with his and Diana's union. As the Daily Mail wrote, journalist Andrew Morton obtained a recording in which Diana revealed that she'd once overheard Charles say to Camilla on the phone, 'Whatever happens, I will always love you.'" Charles and Diana's marriage would officially end in 1996. Over three decades after their initial encounter and eight years after Diana's tragic death, Charles and Camilla said "I do" in two 2005 ceremonies, per People.