THE marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales was finally dissolved yesterday, amid renewed debate about Prince Charles's prospects for eventual remarriage and his succession to the throne.
The royal fairytale ended with Charles and Diana another divorce statistic - their decree absolute, the 5,029th issued this year at London's Somerset House.
Yesterday's formalities marked the opening of a new phase in the public, ecclesiastical and political debate about the implications for Britain's monarchy, and about the terms and conditions upon which the prince may expect to succeed his mother.
Prince Charles and his sons, William and Harry, were with Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family on holiday at Balmoral as the divorce proceedings drew to a close. But the Balmoral defences were breached by warnings from bishops and clergy, laity, leader writers and Sun readers that the prince would not be acceptable as king and supreme governor of the Church of England should he decide to remarry.
With the belief hardening that this is precisely what Prince Charles ultimately intends, a comprehensive survey of Anglican opinion showed 52 per cent of bishops, 56 per cent of clergy and 45 per cent of regular churchgoers firmly opposed.
A staggering 47,000 Sub readers responded to the paper's Bank Holiday poll insisting the prince must not marry his mistress, Mrs Camilla Parker Bowles. And the Daily Mail suggested Mr John Major would use his annual visit to Balmoral to advise the queen of his government's misgivings and of the public disquiet.
The prime minister was a good deal more discreet yesterday. Mr Major said he was "very sad" at the end of the Wales's marriage, although he believed the right decision had been taken.
Mr Major dismissed talk of Prince Charles remarrying as "purely hypothetical". But he added: "There is no prospect of Prince Charles marrying again at the moment. Maybe at some stage in the future - but that may be some years ahead."
Which fits precisely with the view of those who believe Prince Charles has embarked on a long campaign to win public approval for his relationship with the divorced Mrs Parker Bowles.
Lady Longford yesterday told the BBC that such a development needed time and could not be rushed. But she believed that was the ultimate objective of the royal family. Of Mrs Parker Bowles, Lady Longford said: "She's been in the centre ground, in a sense, for years and years. I think if she were queen she'd be an excellent queen. She really has never put a foot wrong.
There was spontaneous applause for Diana yesterday as she made her first appearance as a divorcee at a lunch for members of the English National Ballet. There was confusion as to whether people should curtsy, or call her Ma'am. New rules on royal titles after divorce will be published in tomorrow's London Gazette.