<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the heels of a major rumor that Prince William is following in his cheating father's footsteps, we take a look at how King Charles and Princess Diana's relationship was not simple as people may think.</span></p>

<p style="text-align: left;">If you're a regular follower of <em><a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/the-crown-season-5-netflix-prince-philip-countess-penelope-knatchbull-controversy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Crown</a></em> or royal history through internet news, you're likely to believe that <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/prince-charles-actor-new-princess-diana-movie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">King Charles</a> was the one to blame for the end of his and <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/princess-diana-best-quotes-last-words" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Princess&nbsp;Diana</a>'s marriage, right? However, revelations from a former royal officer indicate that the story may be a little different.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>Recently, there is renewed interest in the big question of who cheated on who, between Princess Diana and King Charles. That interest is driven by a next-generation scandal: the quiet town of Norfolk, England, where Kate Middleton and Prince William live part-time in the countryside, is abuzz with a rumor that Prince William cheated on Kate, as King Charles III did Diana.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>There is no credible evidence or reliable information to support the claim that Prince William cheated on Kate Middleton with <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/rose-hanbury-and-william-alleged-affair-royal-family">Rose Hanbury, the </a></span><a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/rose-hanbury-and-william-alleged-affair-royal-family">Marchioness of Cholmondeley</a>, Prince William and Kate&rsquo;s Norfolk neighbor. <span>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have not publicly addressed any such allegations, and yet, with Kate Middleton's disappearance from the public eye, details in Prince Harry's autobiography <em>Spare</em>, and the rumor mill that is small-town England, royal watchers have raised an eyebrow.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>But it is not always like father, like son. Keep scrolling to learn who really cheated on who, Princess Diana, or King Charles III.</span></p>

Prince Charles and Princess Diana Wedding Day on July 29, 1981

<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2022, former bodyguard Allan Peters introduced a new version of events that claims that the first to become involved in an extramarital relationship was <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/princess-diana-favorite-sunglasses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diana</a>. Peters presented a retelling of events that, though <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/politics-culture/prince-charles-camilla-parker-bowels-royals-scandal-diana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">King Charles and Queen Camilla</a> had been involved prior to him meeting <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/princess-diana-looks-to-inspire-your-fall-wardrobe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diana</a>, they did not reunite romantically until after the then-prince learned his wife was having an affair with her bodyguard, Barry Mannakee.</span></p>

Getty Images

<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Peters, who worked in the Princess' services for nearly a decade, said in a CNN documentary that "the popular perception is that the Prince of Wales was getting lost throughout the entire <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/how-princess-diana-prince-charles-broke-royal-traditions-wedding-marriage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">marriage</a>&mdash;and that is definitely, unequivocally, not the case. The first person to go astray was the Princess, and he saw Mrs. Parker Bowles again after he learned of [Diana's] affair with Mannakee."</span></p>

<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Author Jonathan Dimbleby gave a similar account in his 1994 biography of King Charles claiming that <a href="https://www.revistalofficiel.com.br/pop-culture/qual-historia-do-principe-charles-que-the-crown-nao-exibira">he and Parker-Bowles</a> didn't rekindle their relationship until 1986. Mannakee started working for Diana in 1985 and their affair would have started that year, during a trip to Scotland.</span></p>

<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lady Di's alleged affair with her bodyguard ended in tragedy, as, upon discovery of their relationship, Mannakee was transferred to the <span>Diplomatic Protection Squad.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
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                        <p>The alleged affair between Princess Diana and her bodyguard, Barry Mannakee, is a subject that has been surrounded by speculation and controversy. It's important to note that the details and nature of their relationship remain largely unconfirmed and disputed.</p>
                        <p>According to some accounts, Princess Diana and Mannakee developed a close bond while he was serving as her bodyguard. However, their relationship was reportedly discovered, and Mannakee was subsequently transferred from his position to the Diplomatic Protection Squad, effectively ending their professional connection.</p>
                        <p>Tragically, Mannakee's life came to a premature end when he died in a car accident approximately a year after being transferred. This event fueled further speculation and conspiracy theories, with some suggesting that his death was not merely an accident but potentially linked to his relationship with Princess Diana.</p>
                        <p>Despite the rumors and allegations surrounding Princess Diana and Mannakee's alleged affair, concrete evidence to support these claims has been scarce. The circumstances surrounding Mannakee's death remain a subject of debate and intrigue, contributing to the enduring fascination with Princess Diana's life and relationships.</p>
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Photo: Getty Images

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Although it is unquestionable that </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diana's relationship with Mannakee came first, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">it is worth mentioning that the princess also had an affair with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">James Hewitt, her former riding instructor. Due to their shared freckles and reddish hair, there were rumors circulating at the time of Hewitt being <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/prince-harry-dating-history-marriage-meghan-markle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prince Harry</a>&rsquo;s father. Even King Charles poked fun at the situation, as we learned in the Prince&rsquo;s recent bombshell memoir, </span><a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/politics-culture/prince-harry-book-spare-bombshells-meghan-markle-royal-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spare</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The king jested, &ldquo;</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Who knows if I&rsquo;m even your real father?,&rdquo; which <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/young-prince-harry-real-father-last-name" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prince Harry</a> found to be </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">&ldquo;remarkably unfunny.&rdquo;</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>

Princess Diana and Prince Charles with their newborn son, Prince Harry

Who Cheated First: King Charles or Princess Diana?

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