A MARRIAGE which began in the magnificence of St Paul's Cathedral before a worldwide audience of about 1,000 million people ended yesterday in an anonymous court room, witnessed by 28 reporters and a few court staff.
When the 32 year old Prince of Wales married 20 year old Lady Diana Spencer on July 29th 1981, crowds lined the streets of London for what was dubbed the Wedding of the Century.
Yesterday's routine two minute hearing was dismissed by court manager Mr Robin West as "to all intents and purposes, a bit of a non event".
Senior District Judge Gerald Angel intoned the 14 words formally permitting the split in a procedure identical to that which ends 9,000 marriages every year in the Principal Registry of the Family Division of the High Court in London.
The plastic office furniture, ceiling fans and peppermint green walls in Court One of Somerset House could barely have been more different from the glittering trappings of Sir Christopher Wren's architectural masterpiece, less than a mile away.
The royal couple paid a standard fee of £80 to have their decree nisi (referred to as case 5029/96) approved, a tiny fraction of the spending on their wedding.
Judge Angel's horsehair wig and black gown contrasted dourly with the spectacular display at St Paul's 15 years ago.
Court clerk Ms Carole Burry who read the royal application to divorce along with those of another 30 couples, recalled being among the millions who watched the spectacle on television.
But she and other court officials refused to comment on how they felt to participate in the dissolution of a marriage which everyone hoped would last forever.
As the decree was granted, Prince Charles was in Brunei. He is visiting the oil rich Far Eastern country's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, to attend the Sultan of Brunei's 50th birthday celebrations. Journalists will be unable to get any access the prince, as the media are tightly controlled by the Sultan.
It is understood that the princess is at her Kensington Palace apartments, which she will keep under the terms of her divorce settlement. She will lose the title Her Royal Highness but will receive a lump sum from the prince estimated at £17 million, and is guaranteed equal access to her two sons.
She is thought to be planning a "get away from it all" break in Spain with the Duchess of York and their children.
Diana and the divorcee duchess are expected to head for France within the next few days, along with Prince William (14), Prince Harry (11), Princess Beatrice, (7) and Princess Eugenie, (6).
At any time over the next six weeks and one day, either the prince or princess could theoretically launch an appeal against the decree nisi, but they will most likely apply in writing for a decree absolute to be granted on the first day permitted.