In an excerpt from Ingrid Seward's new book, "My Mother And I," published by the Daily Mail, it is claimed that Princess Diana's father, Earl Spencer, played a pivotal role in convincing her not to call off her wedding to Prince Charles just a month before the grand ceremony in July 1981.

The Disheartening Evening at Prince Andrew's Birthday Party

The excerpt narrates an incident during Prince Andrew's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle. Princess Diana, eagerly anticipating a dance with her fiancé, was disappointed as Prince Charles busily socialized with the guests. Princess Diana was distraught to see Prince Charles having no desire to dance with her, as he had been away most of the previous week. Feeling emotionally drained, Diana resorted to dancing with various individuals and even danced alone, reflecting her despair.

An Elton John performance happened during the event. In his memoir, "Me," Elton described the birthday as "the world's quietest disco" because Queen Elizabeth was present and everyone wanted to respect the royal atmosphere. It was turned down so much that the guests could hear their footsteps on the floor above the music.

Earl Spencer's Intervention

According to Seward, Princess Diana left the party. She was spotted in the castle quadrangle by footman Mark Simpson, appearing exhausted and lost in her thoughts. The excerpt details her journey to her father's home in Northamptonshire at 5:30 a.m., with distress and anger, declaring that the Royal Wedding was off.

Spencer was appalled upon learning of his daughter's decision. He calmed her down and pointed out the discourtesy of breaking off the engagement so close to the wedding, reminding her of her commitment to marry for love. After tears and indecision, Diana allowed her father to talk her around, recognizing her continued desire to be the Princess of Wales. 

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The Queen's Reservations

"My Mother And I" describes Princess Diana's relationship with King Charles and the late Queen Elizabeth. The author notes that Queen Elizabeth had reservations about 19-year-old Diana's ability to differentiate between the man and his royal duties and considered her a better match for her younger son, Andrew. Princess Diana and King Charles were 12 years apart in age.

Despite these concerns, the Queen eventually invited the couple to Birkhall on the Balmoral Estate. Diana appeared relaxed and thrilled with herself. Diana was then invited to Sandringham, following a few low-key and modest dates with Prince Charles in London.

The royal wedding occurred on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul's Cathedral, which became the highest-watched wedding in Television history with 750 million viewers across 74 countries. Later on, after the wedding, Princess Diana talked about how much she loved her husband. However, the pair later divorced in 1996-a year before Diana passed away tragically in a Paris vehicle accident.

Simon & Schuster is scheduled to release the book on February 15.

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