July 29, 1981
Nearly one billion television viewers in 74 countries tune in to witness the marriage of Prince Charles, heir to the British throne, to Lady Diana Spencer, a young English schoolteacher. Married in a grand ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral in the presence of 2,650 guests, the couple’s romance was for the moment the envy of the world. Their first child, Prince William, was born in 1982, and their second, Prince Harry, in 1984.
Before long, however, the fairy-tale couple grew apart, an experience that was particularly painful under the ubiquitous eyes of the world’s tabloid media. Diana and Charles announced a separation in 1992, though they continued to carry out their royal duties. In August 1996, two months after Queen Elizabeth II urged the couple to divorce, the prince and princess reached a final agreement. In exchange for a generous settlement, and the right to retain her apartments at Kensington Palace and her title of “princess,” Diana agreed to relinquish the title of “Her Royal Highness” and any future claims to the British throne.
Jimmy Hoffa Disappears
July 30, 1975
The ex-teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa is last seen outside of a Detroit, Michigan restaurant. He said he was going there to meet with two mafia leaders.
Hoffa was Teamster boss from 1957 to 1971, playing a major role in the growth and development of the Teamsters union, which eventually became the largest in the U.S. with over 2.3 million members. Hoffa was involved with organized crime during his Teamsters work and in 1964 was convicted of jury tampering, attempted bribery, and fraud. He was sentenced to 13 years and imprisoned in 1967. In 1971, he resigned as president of the union as part of a pardon agreement with President Richard Nixon.
First Moon Drive
July 31, 1971
American astronauts Jim Irwin and Dave Scott take their Lunar Rover for a spin on the Moon’s surface.