The Hollywood Actor That Matched Princess Diana's Dancing Skills Much Better Than King Charles

Despite their so-called "fairytale wedding," it's hardly a secret that the late Princess Diana's marriage to King Charles III — then Prince Charles — was anything but perfect. Between a preponderance of awkward moments, a slew of confirmed and rumored affairs on both sides, and a highly-publicized divorce that was life-changing for both Charles and Diana (not to mention their two young sons), it's clear that the former couple was never really in step with one another. Sometimes, this was literally the case. A Hollywood actor proved to be a better dance partner for the Princess of Wales than the man who would be king.

"Grease" and "Pulp Fiction" star John Travolta shared the floor with Diana during a White House dinner in November 1985 — about four and a half years after Diana married into the British royal family. "John knew how to partner and elegantly present his lady, which would have made it a lot easier for her to follow his moves," Diana's private dance teacher Anne Allan assessed in her 2024 memoir "Dancing With Diana" (via Marie Claire). "I'd seen her dance with Charles in Australia," she continued, admitting, "It was not as elegant." The dance instructor seems to lay the blame squarely at Charles' feet (no pun intended). 

"I had wished that they could have had a lesson together before that trip as Charles kept spinning her round," Allan recalled in her book. However, she also noted that the People's Princess "handled it remarkably well."

During a 2021 episode of PBS's "In Their Own Words" centered around Princess Diana, John Travolta himself described what it was like to dance with her at the White House. "Nancy Reagan tapped on my shoulder and said, 'The princess, her fantasy is to dance with you. Would you like to dance with her tonight?' And I said, 'Well of course,'" the actor sweetly recalled. Her request came as a shock to the "Gotti" star, who was a self-described "extra" at the event. Travolta added that the room completely emptied when he took to the floor with the Princess of Wales.

"It was a storybook moment," Travolta gushed, adding, "We bowed when it was over, and, you know, she was off, and I was off, and my carriage turned into a pumpkin." But while the unlikely dance partners seemed to thoroughly enjoy themselves, King Charles III was apparently less amused. The day after the event, he made a cutting remark when asked by the press if Diana had enjoyed her dance with the actor. 

"Well I'm not a glove puppet so I can't answer for that I'm afraid. [...] Be an idiot if she didn't enjoy dancing with John Travolta wouldn't she?" Charles reasoned, as reported by Express. In contrast, Charles and Diana's son Prince Harry made a lighthearted joke about the whole thing when he appeared alongside Travolta at the Living Legends of Aviation Awards in early 2024. As Harry reminded him, "I was one year old when you danced with my mom," (via People).