Sarah and her sisters grew up in close proximity to the royal family, with their childhood home located on the Sandringham Estate and their roots tracing back to multiple kings of England, though mostly through illegitimate rendezvous. Prince Harry has said that his mother would be sad and angry to see his situation now.. "I introduced them. Similar to the way their meeting is depicted in The Crown, Sarah didn't actually orchestrate a formal introduction between her younger sister and Prince Charles, but she's certainly the reason the two met. Here's everything you need to know about the real-life matchmaker, from her royal fling to her current relationship with the royal family. SARAH FERGUSON opened up about Princess Diana's hidden struggle behind the walls of Buckingham Palace, in her tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey. Yes! Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family.She was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales—the heir apparent to the British throne—and was the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry.Diana's activism and glamour made her an international icon and earned her enduring popularity as well as unprecedented public scrutiny, … Diana might have won hearts over around the world, but her outgoing sister Sarah is to thank for her princess status. ", Their relationship came to a screeching halt within a few months, when Sarah gave an interview to two reporters in which she confessed that she wouldn't marry the prince "if he were the dustman or the king of England." She is said to have admitted to having been diagnosed with anorexia, having "thousands of boyfriends", a past problem involving alcoho… I'm Cupid." Sarah was born Elizabeth Sarah Lavinia Spencer in 1955, and is Diana's oldest sister; sandwiched between them is Cynthia Jane, who now holds the title of Baroness Fellowes. Sarah has also remained active in the lives of her nephews, Princes William and Harry. As per The Sun, Lady Sarah McCorquodale is the older sister of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the eldest of John and Frances Spencer's four children — Jane, Sarah, Diana, and Charles. Similar to the way their meeting is depicted in The Crown, Sarah didn't actually orchestrate a formal introduction between her younger sister and Prince Charles, but she's certainly the reason the two met. Early in the first episode of season four, Prince Charles, played by Josh O'Connor, meets a teenage Lady Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) while visiting the home of his current girlfriend—who just so happens to be Di's older sister, Lady Sarah Spencer, played by Isobel Eadie. More recently, she attended both of their weddings—and they, too, attended the nuptials of her children, their cousins—and has made a habit of inviting them to spend time with the Spencer family to reminisce about their mother. Here's what you need to know about Diana's sisters, and where they are now. ", When she showed her then-boyfriend the article, he was reportedly furious, telling Sarah, "You've just done something incredibly stupid. Princess Diana's Brother Says Her Legacy Lives On, Princess Diana's Brother Called Out 'The Crown', We Know Who Gets 'Bach' First Impression Rose, See a Rare Childhood Photo of Princess Diana. "I introduced them. Lady Sarah gained her title in 1975 after the death of her grandfather, and she married Neil Edmund McCorquodale in 1980. Sarah was born Elizabeth Sarah Lavinia Spencer in 1955, and is Diana's oldest sister; sandwiched between them is Cynthia Jane, who now holds the title of Baroness Fellowes. Microsoft and partners may be compensated if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. While the showrunners have taken some liberties with this portrayal of Charles and Diana's first meeting, Sarah's (short-lived) relationship with the prince and her involvement in his courtship with her sister are completely real. Like her sisters, Sarah attended West Heath boarding school in Kent. Sarah dated Charles for a few months in 1977, and later took credit for introducing him to her younger sister, going so far as to label herself the "Cupid" of their relationship when news of their engagement broke in 1981. We may earn commission from the links on this page. Sarah was born in 1955 and is six years older than Diana; Jane is five years older than her late sister. Diana's eldest sister remained close to the royals even after breaking things off with Charles. https://www.marieclaire.com/.../who-is-sarah-spencer-princess-diana-sister Sarah Ferguson, the mother of Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, and Princess Diana were once considered close friends. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories, $15 minimum wage: Here's what hourly workers and small business owners think of it, SpaceX files an FCC request to beam its Starlink satellite internet to ships, planes, trucks, and RVs - but not Teslas, because the antennas required are too big. Sarah has also remained active in the lives of her nephews, Princes William and Harry. In the summer of 1977, Prince Charles met Diana’s eldest sister Lady Sarah Spencer during the annual Royal Ascot house party at Windsor. I'm Cupid," she told The Guardian in 1981. https://www.heart.co.uk/showbiz/celebrities/sarah-spencer-princess-diana-sister JUST IN: Sarah Ferguson copies Kate and William with own royal tour. Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson’s tell-all interviews should have warned palace about Meghan. After years of hype and speculation surrounding Princess Diana's grand entrance into the dramatized history of the British royal family that is The Crown, the ill-fated moment has finally arrived with the fourth season of the show, which hit Netflix on Nov. 15. In 1980, several years after her connection with the crown prince had fizzled, Sarah married Neil Edmund McCorquodale, making her Lady Sarah McCorquodale. Princess Diana with her sister, Sarah, in 1987. Tim Graham Getty Images Prince Charles was known at the time for his string of romances, his girlfriends dubbed “Charlie’s Angels” by the press. Sarah is the eldest child of John Spencer and Frances Shand Kydd, and one of Princess Diana’s two older sisters—the other is Lady Jane Fellowes. She also reportedly opened up about her past struggles with an eating disorder and alcohol abuse, dropped that line about her "thousands" of suitors, and claimed she was keeping a scrapbook of press clippings regarding her relationship with Charles to show her future grandchildren, prompting her interviewers to report that "her head seemed to have been turned by the publicity. After years of hype and speculation surrounding Princess Diana's grand entrance into the dramatized history of the British royal family that is The Crown, the ill-fated moment has finally arrived with the fourth season of the show, which hit Netflix on Nov. 15. More recently, she attended both of their weddings—and they, too, attended the nuptials of her children, their cousins—and has made a habit of inviting them to spend time with the Spencer family to reminisce about their mother. Show full articles without "Continue Reading" button for {0} hours. Before his historic 1981 wedding to Princess Diana, Prince Charles enjoyed a brief romance with Diana's older sister, Lady Sarah Spencer - and it's set to be explored on season four of The Crown. ", When she showed her then-boyfriend the article, he was reportedly furious, telling Sarah, "You've just done something incredibly stupid. ", Their relationship came to a screeching halt within a few months, when Sarah gave an interview to two reporters in which she confessed that she wouldn't marry the prince "if he were the dustman or the king of England." Before she was Princess Diana, she was Diana Spencer, the third of four children born to the eighth Earl Spencer and Frances Shand Kydd, and the youngest of three girls. Sarah dated Charles for a few months in 1977, and later took credit for introducing him to her younger sister, going so far as to label herself the "Cupid" of their relationship when news of their engagement broke in 1981. Sarah Bradford, 8th Viscountess Bangor has done a remarkable job chronicling the short-lived yet awe-inspiring life of Lady Diana. Lady Sarah testified … But the show sets it up so that while waiting one day for Sarah, Charles runs into 16-year-old Diana while she's costumed as a "mad tree" for a school production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sarah, who like Diana had the title “Lady”, was 22 and was seen as being a suitable match for the future king, coming from an aristocratic family background – the daughter of an earl. Diana may have won the hearts of many people around the world, but not many remember … I'm Cupid," she told The Guardian in 1981. Later, after Charles and Diana had reunited and, following a whirlwind courtship, gotten engaged, Sarah named herself the mastermind of their pairing. Lady Sarah Spencer and Prince Charles in 1977; Prince Charles and Princess Diana and Balmoral, 1980. Stacey Abrams on Her Election Wins & What's Next, The Best Looks of Milan Fashion Week Fall 2021, Meghan and Harry Share a Sweet Home Video, Work Smarter, Not Harder With These WFH Essentials, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Ahead of Harry's 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle, a family friend confirmed to Vanity Fair that "Harry has always kept in close touch with the Spencers," and in 2019, when their son Archie was born, the royal family made sure to include Sarah and the rest of the Spencers in the birth announcement. Sarah was born Elizabeth Sarah Lavinia Spencer in 1955, and is Diana's oldest sister; sandwiched between them is Cynthia Jane, who now holds the title of Baroness Fellowes. Lady Sarah Admitted Destroying Some of Diana’s Documents. She reportedly visited both of them throughout their school years after Diana's death, and was often present to support their biggest achievements, including when Harry received his pilot wings in 2010. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Princess Diana's Butler Talks 'The Crown', Yes, Prince Charles Really Survived an Avalanche, 'The Crown' Copied Princess Di's Style Perfectly. Connect with friends faster than ever with the new Facebook app. In 1980, several years after her connection with the crown prince had fizzled, Sarah married Neil Edmund McCorquodale, making her Lady Sarah McCorquodale. Princess Diana's Wedding Dress Is Now on Display. As it transpires, without Lady Sarah, Diana might never have become a princess. As Sarah confessed to Harper's Bazaar in 2018, not making up with Diana was one of her biggest regrets. Like her sisters, Sarah attended West Heath boarding school in Kent. Early in the first episode of season four, Prince Charles, played by Josh O'Connor, meets a teenage Lady Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin) while visiting the home of his current girlfriend—who just so happens to be Di's older sister, Lady Sarah Spencer, played by Isobel Eadie. Who Are Margaret Thatcher's Kids, Carol and Mark? During the period in which she dated the prince, she allegedly met two reporters, James Whittakerand Nigel Nelson, at a restaurant and gave them an exclusive report on her royal connection. Will Harry & Meghan Feature on 'The Crown'? Like the time-travelling whirlpool in the hit comedy movie, I was spun back through the decades to the 1990s when Princess Diana talked to me about her torrid time inside the Royal Family. Sarah Spencer (married name Lady Sarah McCorquodale) is Diana’s older sister, and she was born in 1955. Judy Wade, writer and royal journalist, said Sarah’s exit from the Royal Family was a "rehearsal" for Princess Diana. But, after she spoke about their relationship in the press, the two split. Serge Lemoine/Getty Images; Bob Thomas/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images Lady Diana Spencer didn't actually need all of the royal protocol lessons shown in 'The Crown' She was named co-executor of Diana's will and served as president of the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund until it was closed in 2012. "Because we were like siblings...we rowed," she explained. Sadly, Sarah Ferguson and Princess Diana hadn't reconciled at the time of Princess Diana's tragic death in 1997. Imelda Staunton Will Play the Queen In 'The Crown', Fact-Checking the Third Season of 'The Crown', Lord Mountbatten Died Suddenly and Tragically. Princess Diana may be the most famous of the Spencer sisters, but since Netflix's The Crown highlighted Diana's eldest sister Sarah Spencer in the series, more and more people want to know about her. Sarah and Charles dated in 1977, when both were in their twenties and working their way through a long line of brief romances—Charles with his "string of arm candy" and Sarah with her "thousands of boyfriends. They have three children, Emily, George, and Celia, and two grandchildren. She reportedly visited both of them throughout their school years after Diana's death, and was often present to support their biggest achievements, including when Harry received his pilot wings in 2010. According to a 1981 report in The Times, Diana met her future husband in Nov. 1977, when she was 16 and he was 28, while he was visiting the Spencers' home to see Sarah. Marie Claire participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.