A Waltz Down Memory Lane As Princess Diana And John Travolta Hit The Dance Floor

Sep 02, 2020 by apost team

Who can forget that epic dance shared between Princess Diana and Hollywood heartthrob John Travolta? 

We're taking a look back at that magical night in 1985, which fans of the late Princess will cherish forever.

In 1985, Princess Diana attended a ball at the White House. There, she was photographed dancing with actor John Travolta. Both of them look like they're on cloud nine and the photos show the talented performer releasing the elegant princess from a spin during a waltz. At the time, fashion magazines and beauty editors everywhere couldn't stop gushing over how utterly perfect Princess Di's gown was.

It was a rich blue that was so dark as to almost appear black. It featured a classic old Hollywood silhouette, with an off-the-shoulder design that was considered quite daring for a royal at the time.

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Outfits and gowns can also represent crucial moments in history and culture. For example, none of us could ever forget the iconic white dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in The Seven Year Itch. As the decade's pass, these items usually end up in museums, such as Dorothy's ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which are currently on display at The Smithsonian. The 'Travolta' dress is definitely not different.

"Royal protocol required her to dress very demurely," explained Lucy Bishop, a vintage fashion expert and auction house professional, according to the Daily Mail. "It was a bold and mature choice for such a young princess."

Today, the dress seems almost demure and conservative, which just goes to show how far we've come in such a relatively short timespan. The gown was previously sold in 1997 by Diana herself, who donated all proceeds from the sale to AIDS charities. Heartbreakingly, Diana died only two months later.

The dress was auctioned off earlier this year, with it eventually selling for $352,000. According to the Independent, the iconic garment was bought by Historic Royal Palaces, a charity based in the UK which manages palaces that are no longer occupied.

“We’re delighted to have acquired this iconic evening gown for the royal ceremonial dress collection – a designated collection of national and international importance – over 20 years since it first left Kensington Palace,” said Eleri Lynn, the charity's curator told the Independent.

Do you have a faveorite gown worn by Princess Diana? Let us know in the comments and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!