Royal marriages that ended in separation or divorce

The lavish and larger-than-life royal weddings across the world never cease to fascinate people. However, considering how complex and difficult marriages have become these days, not all royal weddings can survive the test of time with some of them even ending in separation or divorce. From Dubai's Princess Sheikha Mahra divorcing her husband Sheikh Mana Bin Mohammed Bin Manna Al Maktoum on social media to the UK's Prince Charles and Diana's marriage drama, here we list down some royal marriages that ended in separation or divorce.

In a shocking turn of events, Dubai's Princess Sheikha Mahra announced her divorce from her husband Sheikh Mana Bin Mohammed Bin Manna Al Maktoum in a social media post. On July 19, 2024, Princess Sheikha Mahra publicly divorced her husband and wished him luck, as her husband was "occupied with other companions".
Princess Sheikha Mahra is one of the 26 children of the Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. She married Sheikh Mana Bin Mohammed Bin Manna Al Maktoum, a well-known Emirati businessman, in June 2024 and in April 2024 they welcomed their first child. However, her husband's alleged affairs caused troubles between the couple.

Photo: Man3almaktoum/ Instagram

The late Queen Elizabeth II's younger sister, Princess Margaret married British photographer and filmmaker Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 and the couple had two children together, namely: Viscount David Linley and Lady Sarah. However, both Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, the 1st Earl of Snowdon, had extramarital affairs during their marriage, which ultimately led to their divorce in 1978.

Photo: Getty Images

UK's King Charles III (then known as Prince Charles) and his ex-wife Diana's high-profile divorce was quite public and in the news in the 1990s. Both Prince Charles and Diana had extra-marital affairs which led to the breakdown of their marriage. The former couple had two children together-- Prince William and Prince Harry-- during their 15-year-long marriage. Prince Charles and the people's princess- Diana announced their separation in 1992, however they continued their royal duties. On August 28, 1996, they were finally granted a divorce. Roughly a year later, on August 31, 1997, Diana died in a car crash in Paris.

In April 2024, Greek royal couple Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana announced their divorce after 14 years of togetherness. The former royal couple issued a statement, which read, “Prince Nikolaos and Princess Tatiana, after fourteen years of living together, have decided to dissolve their marriage. Both express the difficulty of this decision, the deep appreciation and respect they have for each other, but also the love with which they have walked all these years. The same values of respect and understanding will form the basis of their relationship in the future, a relationship of deep and sincere friendship. They will continue to live and be active in Greece, the place they both feel at home... Family will always be by their side. Thank you very much for your respect and discretion.”

The news of their divorce came as a surprise to many as it was announced just days after their public appearance together.

Image Via X.

UK's Prince Andrew and his childhood friend, Sarah Ferguson, got engaged in March 1986 and later married on July 23, 1986. Upon their high-profile wedding at the Westminster Abbey in London, they were given the titles of Duke and Duchess of York. However, after just six years of marriage, the former couple announced their separation in 1992. They finally got divorced in 1996.

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