Prince Charles 'desperately' wanted to call off his wedding to Princess Diana

Prince Charles was desperate to call off his wedding to Princess Diana, a new book on the prince’s life claims.

In the soon-to-be-released book, written by royal correspondent Robert Jobson, the Prince opens up about his doubts over his marriage to a then 20-year-old Lady Diana Spencer.

An extract from the book, seen by the Daily Mail, reports the prince’s anguish in the weeks leading up to the royal couple’s 1981 wedding.

“I desperately wanted to get out of the wedding in 1981, when during the engagement I discovered just how awful the prospects were,” Prince Charles is quoted by Robert Jobson as saying.

Prince Charles was desperate to call off his wedding to Princess Diana, a new book on the prince’s life claims. Photo: Getty Images
Prince Charles was desperate to call off his wedding to Princess Diana, a new book on the prince’s life claims. Photo: Getty Images

In the book, it’s claimed Prince Charles knew after only meeting Diana a handful of times that a marriage between them wouldn’t work.

The royal couple apparently only got together 12 times before they actually tied the knot.

The book states that Prince Charles used to try to chat to Princess Diana about his day and any royal engagements he had carried out, however, she simply stared back at him.

Author Robert Jobson reportedly escorted the prince around for 18 months on official royal engagements so he could get an insight into the future king’s life and learn about his past.

It’s also claimed that Charles now ‘deeply regrets’ going ahead with the marriage, which ended in divorce in 1996.

Author Sally Bedell Smith previously claimed Prince Charles was left at his wits end shortly after marrying Diana.

Prince Charles and Diana tied the knot in 1981 and divorced in 1996. Photo: Getty Images
Prince Charles and Diana tied the knot in 1981 and divorced in 1996. Photo: Getty Images

“The royal struggled with Diana’s emotional outbursts which ranged from “suffering from insomnia… growing thinner by the day [and] berating her new husband about his former mistress [Camilla Parker Bowles],” Sally explained to the Daily Mail.

Frustrated and with nowhere to turn, he enlisted the help of Dr Alan McGlashan, a psychologist who was recommended to him by an old friend.

But while Diana only saw Dr McGlashan eight times, Prince Charles went on to seek treatment for the next 14 years, ending his sessions in the mid-90s.

It’s also previously been claimed that Princess Diana was miserable in her marriage and hatched an ‘escape plan’ with Sarah Ferguson, who was also coming to the end of her marriage with Prince Andrew.

The Duchess of York and Prince Andrew finalised their divorce in May 1996, with Princess Diana and Prince Charles following suit just three months later.

Got a story tip? Send it to tips@oath.com

Want more lifestyle and celebrity news? Follow Yahoo Lifestyle on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Or sign up to our daily newsletter here.