Key dates in Charles-Diana marriage saga

¤ July 29, 1981: Lady Diana Spencer marries Prince Charles at St Paul's Cathedral in London.

¤ June 21, 1982: Birth of Prince William. Princess Diana suffers post-natal depression.

¤ September 15, 1984: Birth of Prince Harry.

¤ 1985: First reports of difficulties in the royal marriage.

¤ 1986: Prince Charles renews relationship with former lover Camilla Parker-Bowles, according to his biographer. Princess Diana develops slimming disorder bulimia nervosa. Royal couple continue public duties, but in private they are soon leading separate lives. Princess Diana begins riding lessons with Army Major James Hewitt, with whom she has an affair.

¤ 1987: Prince Charles spends more than a month at Balmoral Castle, apart from wife and children, prompting media speculation about possible rift.

¤ 1991: Reports begin to appear that Princess Diana and Prince Charles spend vacations and official visits in separate rooms.

¤ June 1992: Andrew Morton's book, Diana, Her True Story, says she tried to kill herself five times because of jealousy and an unhappy marriage.

¤ August 25, 1992: The Sun publishes transcript of telephone conversation in which James Gilbey calls Princess Diana "Squidgy."

¤ November 1992: Disastrous tour of South Korea by the couple, who looked miserable and distant throughout.

¤ December 9, 1992: Prime Minister John Major announces Charles and Diana are separating "amicably".

¤ January 14, 1993: Australian magazine publishes transcript of raunchy telephone conversation between people identified as Prince Charles and Mrs Parker-Bowles.

¤ June 29, 1994: Prince Charles, in interview for televised documentary, says he was unfaithful to Princess Diana after their marriage broke down. Interviewer Jonathan Dimbleby later identifies the other woman as Mrs Parker-Bowles.

¤ October 3, 1994: The book, Princess in Love, claims Princess Diana had five-year affair with Mr Hewitt.

¤ March 3, 1995: Mrs Parker-Bowles and her husband, Andrew, divorce.

¤ August 1995: Newspaper reports link Princess Diana with Will Carling, captain of the English national rugby team. Mr Carling and wife Julia announce separation on September 29.

¤ November 20, 1995: BBC broadcasts Princess Diana's first solo TV interview: She confirms affair with Mr Hewitt, claims royal family campaigned against her, questions Prince Charles's fitness to be king and says she does not want a divorce.

¤ December 20, 1995: Queen Elizabeth II urges prince and princess to divorce.

¤ February 28, 1996: Princess Diana announces she has agreed to divorce, beginning months of wrangling over terms.

¤ July 12, 1996: Prince Charles and Princess Diana announce agreement to divorce.

¤ July 15, 1996: Preliminary divorce decree granted.

¤ August 15, 1996: Princess Diana obtains court order that a freelance photographer stay at least 325 yards away from her.

¤ August 28, 1996: Final divorce decree granted.