Before Princess Diana stepped into the royal spotlight, her elder sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, had her moment with the then-Prince Charles! Flashback to the late 70s: Lady Sarah initially conquered Charles’ attention in events such as the Royal Ascot and polo matches, earning an invite to the royal residence at Balmoral.
Interestingly enough, their love story didn’t have many pages, partly because Lady Sarah famously declared in a Woman’s Own interview that she wasn’t in love with Charles. She expressed that marriage for her could be only possible with a man she truly loved, and that wasn’t Charles. Just like that, she ended the chances of an engagement with the then-prince.
“I’m a whirlwind sort of lady… I wouldn’t marry anyone I didn’t love whether he was the dustman or the King of England.”
Years after, Lady Sarah found her true match in Neil McCorquodale, and since then the couple has celebrated over four decades of marriage. The pair share three children and a life far from the royal cameras and whispers. Their hideaway? The Lincolnshire countryside.
But despite having a brief romantic past with the now King, Sarah notably played an important role when introducing her sister, Princess Diana, to Charles. Subsequently, history was made and the marriage between these two became one of the most talked about unions in royal history. What’s more, Lady Sarah even was a supporter through her sister’s turbulent marriage.
When Princess Diana passed away, Lady Sarah continued to honor her sister’s legacy as president of the Diana, “Princess of Wales Memorial Fund,” raising over £100 million for this charity. While she still has a romantic link to the royal family, her philanthropic actions and connection to Diana make her a respected figure in royal history.
