PR guru Max Clifford on the Royal couple

Most traumatic of these royal divorces was the Prince of Wales's much-publicised falling out with Diana, Princess of Wales.

The marriage in July 1981 of Lady Diana Spencer, a bashful former nanny who soon became the darling of the paparazzi, to the heir to the throne was a huge affair.

Charles and Diana's fairytale wedding ended in disaster

But the births of Princes William and Harry were followed by a parting of the ways.

On the BBC's Panorama programme Diana claimed that there had been three people in their marriage.

But courtiers close to the prince hit back by leaking damaging stories about her to the press.

Author Garth Gibbs: "Marriage stands a better chance than Charles' and Andrew's did"

Just over a year after their divorce was finalised Diana was killed in a horrific car crash in the Place de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, which also killed her companion Dodi fayed and his chauffeur.

The bitterness and rancour which followed Charles and Diana's divorce - much of it splashed across the pages of Britain's tabloid newspapers - is likely to have influenced Edward.

He had experienced negative publicity before - in 1987 when he quit the Royal Marines and was portrayed as a "sissy" by some newspapers.

Messy divorce

His other brother, the Duke of York, has also been through a messy divorce.

Prince Andrew's marriage to Sarah Ferguson was even more short-lived than Charles and Diana's but its conclusion was no less embarrassing for the royal family.

The Duchess of York with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

The Duke and Duchess of York married in 1986 but separated in 1992 and formally divorced in 1996.

While the duke and duchess remained on relatively good terms she was unable to keep out of the newspapers.

Royal embarrassment

Her romances, financial affairs, book deals and other money-making projects kept the tabloids amused but did nothing for the royal family's reputation.

This Christmas The Mirror carried a front-page article which accused the royal family of having abandoned her.

Even Anne, the Princess Royal, always a picture of decorum, has suffered the pain of divorce.

She was the first to marry - to renowned horseman Captain Mark Phillips in 1973 - but the relationship failed after producing two children, Peter and Zara.

Prince Edward and his bride will be well aware of the pitfalls

Princess Anne has since found love with Captain Timothy Laurence, who she married in 1992.

Hope for Edward and Sophie

But Edward and Sophie's marriage may stand a better chance than his siblings'.

Firstly he has learnt from their experiences and will no doubt attempt to maintain a low profile.

Secondly both he and Miss Rhys-Jones come from stable backgrounds, unlike the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of York, who were from broken homes.

Garth Gibbs, co-author of Sophie's Kiss, which tells the couple's story, says Miss Rhys-Jones will be a big hit with the British public and he said: "This marriage stands a much better chance than the wild love of Charles' and Andrew's early endeavours."