Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis weren’t the only unexpected guests at the royal family’s latest major appearance — so was Princess Diana’s sister, who once dated King Charles.
On May 5, many working members of the royal family came together to attend a military procession and flypast at Buckingham Palace in the heart of London as the national commemorations begin for the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day on May 8. King Charles and Queen Camilla led the way at the celebration, where Princess Diana’s sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale sat near the sovereign during the military march.
It was a surprise to see Lady Sarah at the event, where she sat in the same front row of the box as Queen Camilla, 77, King Charles, 76, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh and more royal family members.
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King Charles, Joy Trew, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh during the military procession to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 5, 2025 in London.
Related: Princess Diana’s Siblings: Everything to Know About Her Brother and Sisters
In a sweet scene, cameras captured a moment when the King, Lady Sarah and Sophie all teamed up to help wrap veteran Joy Trew in warm blankets in the wind!
The royals were joined in the box by veterans from the Royal British Legion, an organization King Charles backs as patron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Prince William and Kate Middleton also brought their kids — George, 11, Charlotte, 10 and Louis, 7 — to the festivities in a special day off from school, where they watched 1,300 members of the Armed Forces process in a tribute to those who served in World War II.
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King Charles (center) salutes during the military procession to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 5, 2025 in London.
Lady Sarah, 70, is the elder sister of the late Princess Diana, who was King Charles’ first wife and the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry.
Diana grew up with two older sisters, Sarah and Lady Jane Fellowes, and younger brother Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer, and Sarah briefly dated the future King Charles in the late 1970s.
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Lady Sarah Spencer and Prince Charles at a polo match.
Related: King Charles Leads Royal Family in VE Day Tribute Days After Prince Harry’s Explosive Claims
While the romance didn’t last, she claimed she acquainted her youngest sister with the heir to the throne, who Diana married in 1981.
“I introduced them. I’m Cupid,” Sarah told The Guardian that year.
Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles famously separated in 1992 in a divorce finalized in 1996, and she died following a car accident in Paris in 1997 at age 36.
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Princess Diana and Lady Sarah McCorquodale at the Burghley Horse Trials in September 1989.
While Princess Diana’s siblings live life outside of the spotlight, they are known to remain close with Prince William and Prince Harry.
Lady Sarah, Lady Jane and Charles Spencer memorably attended the unveiling of a statue of the late Princess of Wales in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace with William and Harry in July 2021 on what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday, and Sarah recently supported William at a military engagement near her hometown.
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Prince William; Lady Sarah McCorquodale.
In September 2024, Sarah supported her nephew at the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Air Force (RAF) College in Cranwell, Lincolnshire, England. The Prince of Wales attended the event on behalf of his father, and Rebecca English of the Daily Mail reported that Sarah was there.
“I’m told she heard he was in the area and wanted to support him,” English wrote on X, and Hello!noted that Lady Sarah lives locally.
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