There are moments in our life that really define us. They often come without any preplanning but when they happen, they can be a force for good or bad in our lives.
That is likely how John Travolta felt when he had the opportunity to dance with Princess Diana. It happened on November 9, 1985, at a function at the White House.
In fact, you can even see Ronald and Nancy Reagan in the picture in the background. There is no doubt that John Travolta felt that it was a special privilege, but when you learn more about him, you realize just how privileged he is.
There was a PBS special that was being filmed, “In Their Own Words: Diana, Princess of Wales.” In order to film something for the special, John Travolta was invited to the White House. He was going to meet Princess Diana.
In Travolta’s words, he had a humble attitude and felt as if he was an extra in a room of important people.
Interestingly, this was also the first time that Princess Diana had visited the United States with Prince Charles. They had already been married for four years and had both children by that time.
Nancy Reagan was the person responsible for helping John Travolta meet Princess Diana. It happened at around 10 o’clock in the evening when she tapped him on the shoulder and said that Princess Diana had a fantasy to dance with him.
Considering the fact that John Travolta was well known for his dancing abilities, it would’ve been a dream for many people. He had already done Saturday night fever and Grease, so his dancing skills were well known.
He then asked how it worked and she said, “Well, at about midnight I’ll come and get you and then I’ll lead you over to her and then you ask her to dance.”
I think that anybody would be nervous over the possibility of dancing with the Princess. John Travolta admits that he was nervous and his heart was racing.
In the end, he went over and tapped her on the shoulder just like Nancy Reagan had suggested. It was a bold move, but when she turned around and looked at him, he simply asked if she would care to dance with him.
As you can imagine, Princess Diana answered positively to his question and they moved to the center of the dance floor to start their dance. The whole room had cleared to give them room.
Travolta said that he felt as if they danced for 15 minutes and he also felt as if it was right out of a fairytale. He called it a “storybook moment”
Thankfully, the special moment was captured on film and these are iconic pictures that people still appreciate down to this day. Travolta certainly did look wonderful in his tuxedo and dancing with Princess Diana is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
He may have been shy but you can tell by the pictures that the shyness disappeared. A close friend of Diana’s, Debbie Frank, said that she loved to dance and it brought joy to her and to others when she did it.