> In 1981, the British royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer tookplace at which venue?And the answer: St. Paul's Cathedral.Photo credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty ImagesInstead of the traditionalWestminster Abbey, Charles and Diana selected St. Paul's Cathedral because itcould accommodate 3,500 guests. Around the world, an estimated 750 millionpeople watched the event on television.Charles and Diana's wedding was monumental in a variety of ways. As the"People's Princess," Lady Diana was the first British citizen to marry an heirto the throne in over 300 years. As such, the event was more than fanfare-filled– it was a scene of downright fairytale.Leaders from all over Europe were invited to the spectacle, along with America'srepresentative, First Lady Nancy Reagan. For weeks in advance, headlinesdiscussing where leaders were partying, what they wore, and who they were withpopulated British and international news publications alike. When the day came, no ado was spared. The date was declared a national holidayso that more royal subjects could watch, an act which they did with vigor. Over600,000 spectators crowded the British streets hoping to catch a glimpse of thehappy couple. Inside St. Paul's Cathedral, the wedding's 3,500 guests did muchof the same. From home, millions watched with rapture.The wedding was famous for breaking convention in another way: Princess Dianawas the first royal to omit the line "to obey" in her wedding vows (KateMiddleton and Meghan Markle followed suit[https://time.com/5276780/meghan-markle-harry-vows-obey/]). This choice wasintentional, and represented an attempt to instill a greater since of agency inthe role of the Princess. However liberating, it did not pass without critiquefor the more conservative followers of the British throne. The wedding also represented the beginning of Princess Diana's culturalfollowing. From that moment on, she began to solidify her role as the People'sPrincess, earning her a near-cult following that only grew over the followingdecade. Her style, charm, and honesty were a breath of fresh air in thetradition of the British throne. Watch footage from the monumental wedding below.