Princess Diana’s Older Sister Once Dated Prince Charles—But One Interview Changed Everything

Long before Princess Diana became one of the world’s most famous royal figures, her older sister, Lady Sarah Spencer, was romantically linked to the man who would later become King Charles III.

During the late 1970s, Sarah and Charles dated briefly, attracting attention from the British press. Because Charles was the heir to the throne, their relationship sparked speculation that Sarah might one day become the Princess of Wales.

But their romance took an unexpected turn after one candid interview—and the consequences would eventually connect Sarah to one of the most famous royal marriages in history.

Before Diana, There Was Sarah Spencer

Born in 1955, Lady Sarah Spencer was the eldest daughter of the Spencer family and the older sister of Diana Spencer, who was born in 1961.

The Spencers were part of Britain’s aristocratic society and had connections to the royal household. These social circles brought Sarah into contact with Prince Charles, whose romantic life was closely followed by the media.

As the future king, Charles faced enormous expectations about marriage. His future wife would not simply become his partner; she would eventually take on an important public role within the monarchy.

When Sarah began dating him, it was hardly surprising that people wondered whether their relationship might lead to a royal wedding.

Their Romance Attracted Public Attention

By 1977, Sarah and Charles had been photographed together at social events, including polo matches. They also reportedly spent time together on a skiing holiday in Klosters, Switzerland.

Their appearances fueled speculation about a possible engagement. However, despite the attention, there was no confirmed plan for the couple to marry.

Soon, Sarah would make a series of comments that challenged the public’s expectations.

The Interview That Changed Their Relationship

In early 1978, Sarah spoke candidly with journalists Nigel Nelson and James Whitaker during a lunch in London.

She reportedly described their skiing trip as enjoyable but made it clear that an engagement was not on the horizon.

Her most memorable comments concerned love and marriage. Sarah reportedly stated that she was not in love with Charles and would not marry someone simply because he was a prince.

She made her position unmistakable: she would only marry for love, regardless of whether the man was an ordinary worker or the King of England.

At a time when many people viewed marrying the heir to the throne as an extraordinary opportunity, her words were strikingly direct.

The interview attracted widespread attention and reportedly upset Charles. According to later accounts, he felt Sarah had made a serious mistake by discussing their relationship so openly.

Royal writers have also suggested that the interview contributed to the breakdown of their romance, although the full private circumstances of their separation remain unclear.

Whatever the precise reasons, the relationship ended without an engagement.

Sarah’s Connection to Charles Didn’t End There

In a remarkable twist, Sarah would later become associated with introducing Charles to her younger sister, Diana.

Charles and Diana had first met in 1977, when Diana was 16 and Charles was spending time with Sarah. At that stage, Diana was simply the younger sister of the woman dating the prince.

Their relationship developed later, and Sarah reportedly joked about her role in bringing them together by saying, “I’m Cupid.”

It was an unusual turn of events: Sarah had once dated the future king, but her younger sister would eventually become his wife.

Diana’s Journey to Becoming Princess of Wales

Diana grew up in an aristocratic family, but before entering royal life, she had experienced a relatively ordinary working life for someone of her background. She reportedly worked with children and took on domestic jobs before her relationship with Charles brought her into the international spotlight.

Their connection deepened over time. Royal biographers have described moments when Diana’s expressions of sympathy and concern made an impression on Charles, particularly following the death of his great-uncle Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1979.

As their courtship progressed, public interest grew rapidly. Diana became the subject of intense media attention, and speculation about an engagement eventually gave way to an official announcement.

On July 29, 1981, Charles and Diana married at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London in a ceremony watched by millions around the world.

The wedding was widely celebrated as a real-life fairy tale, with Diana’s elaborate gown and the grandeur of the occasion becoming iconic images of the decade.

Yet their marriage would prove far more complicated than the romantic spectacle suggested.

A Marriage That Faced Serious Challenges

Charles and Diana welcomed two sons: Prince William in 1982 and Prince Harry in 1984.

Despite the public excitement surrounding their wedding, the couple’s relationship deteriorated over time. They separated in 1992, and their divorce was finalized in August 1996.

Charles later married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005. When he became king in 2022, Camilla became queen consort.

Diana, meanwhile, continued to attract public admiration for her charitable work and her connection with people from different walks of life.

On August 31, 1997, she died following a car crash in Paris at the age of 36. Her death prompted an extraordinary outpouring of grief around the world.

Sarah Helped Preserve Her Sister’s Legacy

Following Diana’s death, Sarah remained involved in honoring her younger sister’s memory. She served as president of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund, which supported charitable causes connected to Diana’s humanitarian interests. The fund closed in 2012.

Sarah’s life extended far beyond her brief romance with Charles. She married Neil Edmund McCorquodale in 1980, before Diana’s royal wedding, and continued to maintain family connections with Diana and her sons.

Her story is therefore not simply about the woman who once dated a future king. It is also about an older sister who remained connected to Diana’s life and legacy.

What If Sarah Had Married Charles?

It is tempting to wonder how royal history might have unfolded if Sarah and Charles had stayed together. Would Diana ever have become Princess of Wales? Would the royal family’s history have taken a completely different direction?

There is no way to know. Such questions remain hypothetical, and Sarah herself reportedly rejected the idea of marrying Charles during their relationship.

What is clear is that her romance with the prince became an unexpected chapter in the story of the Spencer family and the British monarchy.

Her outspoken interview challenged the assumption that royal status was enough to make a marriage desirable. For Sarah, love mattered more than a title.

That decision helped define her brief relationship with Charles, while her younger sister went on to become one of the most recognizable women in modern history.

Decades later, the story of Sarah, Diana, and King Charles continues to fascinate people—not simply because two sisters were connected to the same future king, but because one woman’s candid words became part of an extraordinary royal story.