King Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage was far from smooth sailing. However, the pair experienced a lot of important events throughout their marriage, including some surprising moments during international royal tours. Now, a former royal hairdresser has recalled one particular incident, which Princess Diana enjoyed, but King Charles most certainly didn’t.
During their royal tour of New Zealand in April 1983, Charles and Diana witnessed an anti-monarchist Māori rights protests. Diana’s former hairstylist, Richard Dalton, told People that a Māori protester had “lifted his skirt and showed his ass to the princess” during a traditional ceremony intended to welcome the royals.
According to Dalton, the incident resulted in “total scandal.” He further explained, “I was waiting that evening to go and do [Diana’s] tiara, and I could hear [King Charles] was ranting and raving next door.”
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Diana and Charles at a welcome ceremony in Auckland, New Zealand, in April 1983.
(Image credit: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Princess Diana reportedly had the opposite reaction. Dalton told the former Princess of Wales, “[Charles] doesn’t sound too happy. I heard what happened.” Diana reportedly responded by saying, “I dunno what he’s going on about. It’s the best thing that ever happened to me since I arrived.”
Charles and Diana on a Māori canoe while visiting the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, in April 1983.
(Image credit: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)
In August, Dalton spoke to Marie Claire‘s senior royal and celebrity editor Kristin Contino about his work with Princess Diana. Sharing that the royal regularly did all of her own makeup, Dalton explained, “If it was like a photo shoot or, you know, official pictures with Charles or the boys. Yes, it would be a makeup artist…[Otherwise,] she did her own makeup.”
He continued, “She was just flawless—her skin…Looking at her, I mean, she was so incredibly beautiful in real life, moreso than any picture.”
