The wedding of the century in a new light: In the new BritBox documentation for the 40th anniversary, recordings from the big day of Prince Charles and Princess Diana are beautifully restored
- The new full-length program will air on Thursday July 15th on BritBox
- It will reveal never-before-heard anecdotes and interviews from key insiders
- The record breaking event was watched by 750 million people in 74 countries in 1981
It’s been 40 years since Princess Diana walked down the aisle with Prince Charles, and to mark the occasion, BritBox has released a new documentary featuring restored footage from the big day.
The BBC and ITV streaming service “lovingly” retouched the filming of the ceremony, “in a much clearer version than was ever thought possible,” said an announcement for the film.
The Wedding of the Century, airing today, also features never-before-heard anecdotes about the London-based ceremony, which was watched by a record 750 million people in 74 countries in 1981.
A highlight of the improved footage, which has been restored in high definition, is the ability to see more detail, right down to the folds in the Princess of Wales’ iconic dress as she steps off the royal carriage.
To mark the 40th anniversary of the wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, BritBox has released a new documentary featuring restored footage from the big day
Footage from the big day was “lovingly” retouched, “to a much clearer version than was ever thought possible,” says an announcement about the film
Narrated by Angela Rippon, the documentary features exclusive interviews with those who worked behind the scenes and planned the record breaking event.
Charles and Diana were married on July 29, 1981 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London with 3,500 guests in the ward.
Including royal chief florist David Longman, who met with Diana to create a bouquet for a princess, while musical director Barry Rose, who conducted the choir at St. Paul’s Cathedral, also talks about the big day.
Other interviews are from Dave Avery, the Royal Navy’s head baker, who met with Diana before spending 14 weeks creating the wedding cake.
The Wedding of the Century, which airs today, also features never-before-heard anecdotes from that day. Pictured, Diana in her wedding dress
The fairytale wedding (pictured) was watched by a record 750 million people in 74 countries around the world in 1981
The royal photographer Kent Gavin, who captured the ceremony in St. Paul’s and whom Diana later selected to photograph Prince William’s baptism, also talks about the ceremony.
The trailer for the documentary for Touchdown Films tells the story of a day that “enchants the world” and shows the royal family leaving Buckingham Palace while the streets were lined with fans.
Elsewhere, a guest shares the concerns some behind the scenes had, such as what would happen if someone had to use the restroom during the ceremony.
A highlight of the upgraded footage (pictured), which has been restored in high definition, is the ability to see more detail right down to the folds in the iconic Princess of Wales dress
Charles and Diana (pictured) were married on July 29, 1981 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London with 3,500 guests in the community
The documentary features exclusive interviews with those who worked behind the scenes and planned the record breaking event. Pictured, Diana and Charles
Touchdown Films Founder John Osborne said, “We’re excited to be working with BritBox on this new full-length documentary that will reinterpret one of the most iconic days in history like never before.”
While Diana and Charles’ wedding seemed like a fairy tale, Prime Minister John Major announced in 1992 that the couple would split but would continue to live together at Kensington Palace.
They divorced in 1996 and a year later Diana died in a car accident in Paris. In 2005, Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles at the Windsor Guildhall.