John Travolta Remembers 'Magical Moment' He Asked Princess Diana To Dance

Apr 26, 2021 by apost team

Princess Diana was one of the most beloved icons of the 20th century. Her elegance, beauty, and kindness inspired people all over the world. The news of her untimely death brought the world into a prolonged period of collective mourning.

Her influence is still felt today, which is why she is still often honored in various ways. Whether it's through her charitable work or her stylish legacy, Princess Diana was truly one of a kind.

One moment that will live on in the hearts of the public forever is the magical night in 1985 when Princess Diana and John Travolta shared a dance at the White House. Dressed to the nines, the pair were a stunning duo as they graciously glided across the dancefloor. The photos from that evening are still just as moving today, more than 35 years on.

The moment was so wonderful as not only did it show the people's princess in such a carefree and graceful light, but Travolta, who was a major Hollywood heartthrob and star, was so well known for his dancing, that it felt like a unique moment that wouldn't come around often. Furthermore, even people as famous as Travolta don't get to dance with a princess every day.

It clearly left an indelible mark on him too, since in a recent interview Travolta went on the record and spoke to Esquire Spain about that night and just how special it was. The interview even prompted the man behind the photograph, Pete Souza, to give his own comment on that fateful night. 

On that night in 1985, during a visit to the United States to see then-President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, Princess Diana was given the opportunity to dance with a true catch: John Travolta. The star of "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease" had gained a reputation as one of the best dancers around. At the ball at the White House, the pair were photographed dancing in what would become a legendary picture.

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 velvet 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.

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 decades go on, 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. Diana's "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." 

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Today, the dress, which was designed by Victor Edelstein, 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 once again auctioned off in 2020, 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. 

That's the beauty of fashion — it's not only a time capsule of specific periods of history, but garments that are worn for special occasions such as this go on to have a life of their own. Diana looked simply stunning in that gown and it was made even more special by the events that would take place that night.

For roughly 30 minutes on that night in November, Princess Diana and Travolta were the stars of the dancefloor, showing that they had become such well-regarded celebrities for good reason. In the photo, they're the epitome of class and grace, as they gracefully move across the checkerboard floor together as if they're floating.    

In April of this year, Travolta spoke with Esquire Spain about the famous moment, as translated by Today. He told the magazine:

“Think of the moment. We are in the White House. It's midnight. The whole scene is like a dream. I go up to her, touch her on the shoulder, ask her to dance. She turns around and when she sees me, she displays that captivating smile, somewhat sad, and accepts my invitation.”

He goes on to explain what was easy and difficult:

"There must be a reason to do this, and I better give it my all ... this meant guiding the dance well and trying to have fun. That was the easy part, but introducing myself to Diana in the proper way, conveying confidence, and asking her to be my dance partner was a complicated mission.”

Overall though he described the experience as a "great privilege and honor" before stating:

“There we were, dancing together like in a fairy tale. Who could imagine that something like this is going to happen to you one day? I was smart enough to register it in my memory as a very special, magical moment.” 

It certainly was a major moment, not just for the two of them but for the world. Princess Diana, who was then 24 years old, was at the height of her fame — she was married to Prince Charles, the British monarchy's heir apparent, and had just one year earlier given birth to Prince Harry, their second son. The event at the White House was in honor of the Prince and Princess of Wales' first trip together to the United States.   

But without the iconic photos of that night, we wouldn't have it in our memories. The man behind the images is Pete Souza, who is the former chief official White House photographer, and following Travolta's interview, he also posted his own memories of the night to his personal Instagram account. Alongside the photo he wrote:

"I made this photograph more than 35 years ago, but remember the moment as if it were yesterday. Apparently, John Travolta does too."

Souza then gave his own insights into the night:

"The occasion was a black-tie dinner at the White House on November 9, 1985 in honor of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. It is often referred to as a 'state dinner' but since Prince Charles was not a head of state, it was not in fact a state dinner (though it certainly had all the trappings of one).⁣"

He ended his post with a few lesser-known facts from the night, including that as they danced, "the military band played a medley of songs from Travolta’s movie, Saturday Night Fever.⁣" Dishing even more juicy facts from the evening, he mentioned a few other dance partners of Diana's that night — President Reagan, Tom Selleck, Neil Diamond, and Clint Eastwood — but noticeably missing from the list was her husband, with Souza writing explicitly, "She did not dance with Prince Charles." 

The moment has clearly affected many of us, not only those who were present that night. Though Princess Diana might be gone from this world, we can still keep her in our memories by reflecting on moments like this, when she stunned us with her absolute grace and pure charisma shining through.   

Were you moved by John Travolta's recollections of that night? If you wish fairytales were real, this story will hopefully make you realize that you don't have to look far. Show this story to anyone you know who loves moments of magic between two icons.