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Princess Diana wasn't actually the first woman Prince Charles proposed to

It is pretty common knowledge that Prince Charles chose to propose to Diana after the Royal Family decided his true love, Camilla, would not be a suitable match.

And to add even more awkwardness to the tale, a new documentary – released for Prince Charles’ 70th birthday – has revealed that Diana wasn’t even the first woman the Prince had been encouraged to propose to.

Thanks to Channel 4’s The Royal House of Windsor, it has now been revealed that the Prince’s honorary grandfather, Lord Mountbatten, attempted to set him up with his granddaughter Amanda Knatchbull.

It has been revealed that Diana wasn’t the first woman the Prince had been encouraged to propose to. Photo: Getty
It has been revealed that Diana wasn’t the first woman the Prince had been encouraged to propose to. Photo: Getty

The documentary claims Lord Mountbatten has been “secretly lining Amanda up as a future queen” for years.

Amanda’s mother was Patricia Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burna and her late father was John Knatchbull, Baorn Brabourne. Her brother Norton was a close friend of Charles – and is now godfather to Prince William.

Lord Mountbatten was allegedly so determined to stop Charles ending up with Camilla that he encouraged Charles to pop the question to “perfect candidate” Amanda – who was nine years younger than Charles.

The Prince’s honorary grandfather, Lord Mountbatten, attempted to set him up with his granddaughter Amanda Knatchbull. Photo: Getty
The Prince’s honorary grandfather, Lord Mountbatten, attempted to set him up with his granddaughter Amanda Knatchbull. Photo: Getty

Charles obediently began spending time with Amanda and even took her on the Royal Yacht Britannia for a trip to Eleuthera in the Caribbean back in 1977.

He reportedly proposed to her and said, “Will you be my wife?”

But according to the documentary, Amanda said no and rejected his offer because their relationship was too close and they were more like “brother and sister.”

But she rejected the young Prince’s proposal, according to a new documentary. Photo: Getty
But she rejected the young Prince’s proposal, according to a new documentary. Photo: Getty

Soon after that, the young prince was encouraged to begin courting Lady Diana Spencer. And she, as we all know, accepted his marriage proposal.

While Amanda went on to marry author Charles Vincent Ellingworth in 1987 and they had three children together.

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