A new memoir promises to reveal details of a private passion held by the late Princess Diana: dance. Diana took lessons in secret for years, and her former ballet teacher, Anne Allan, penned this memoir to shed light on this lesser-known aspect of her life. In one particular revelation, Allan shares a shocking remark made by Diana following an iconic performance in 1985.
A secret passion for dance
Princess Diana was not just a style icon and beloved member of the royal family; she was also a dedicated dancer, having taken secret ballet lessons for years. In the new book, Dancing with Diana: A Memoir, Diana’s former ballet teacher, Anne Allan, opens up about the private dance lessons she gave the princess from 1981 to 1989. Within, she reveals how dance became an emotional outlet for the Princess as she navigated personal challenges and the pressures of royal life.
A bond formed in secrecy
Over the years, these one-hour ballet sessions came to become a cherished part of Diana’s routine. Naturally, she and Allan formed a strong bond where the Princess felt comfortable enough to confide in some of the difficulties of her life. These included her struggle with bulimia, which Allan wrote, “Diana explained that her bulimia had started when she had started attending important functions, particularly dinners where she had to sit down to eat. . . . Meeting so many people was terrifying to her and the feeling that she was being judged with every move she made or how she looked or what she said caused her to feel totally inadequate,” as well as her increasing unhappiness in her marriage.
The birth of an iconic performance
One of Diana’s most memorable dance moments was her surprise performance at the Royal Opera House in December 1985. Inspired by her secret lessons, Diana decided to surprise Prince Charles by dancing to Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl.” Allan wrote of the audience’s reaction, explaining how, “When she entered, there was an audible intake of breath from the audience. Diana quickly and confidently completed her first steps of a jazz strut across the stage, and a thunderous applause erupted. The audience could not believe what they were seeing.”
A dance with Wayne Sleep
Diana took to the stage with her friend and acclaimed British dancer, Wayne Sleep. The two then proceeded to perform the three-minute number. As Allan describes, “She had been choreographed to stop for two bars of music, look at the audience, give a couple of jazz shoulder rolls when she saw the Downtown Boy, then continue with some jazz slides to see if he was following. Next was her favourite moment, placing her hands on Wayne’s head and pushing him down into a kneeling position, then kicking one of her legs high over his head. The audience loved the storytelling of the move.”
Charles’s unexpected reaction
While the audience was delighted by Diana’s dance, Prince Charles’s reaction was less enthusiastic. Allan, who saw the future King’s icy response firsthand, noted how Charles appeared altogether unimpressed by the performance. Despite the roaring applause from the audience, Diana’s attempt to win over her husband with a dance fell flat. “She just wanted him to be thrilled,” Allan said. “When you feel that somebody doesn’t love you, that has an effect on you. She kept thinking that there was love there and that there would be love there. And I’m sure there was.”
Diana’s remark that stunned her friends
After the final bow, Diana shared a remark that revealed her true feelings about the performance. Allan recalls in the memoir that after several curtain calls, Sleep said, “Let’s leave them wanting more.” As they stepped off stage, Diana turned to Wayne and Allan, exclaiming, “Beats the wedding!” The comment was both lighthearted and loaded with meaning and left both her friends absolutely shocked.
Seeking approval that never came
As mentioned earlier, one of the main reasons for the performance was Diana’s hope to surprise and impress Prince Charles. After the performance, she was eager to earn his approval. However, it never came. Allan explained how “As we were led to the reception area where Charles would be, we passed many members of the audience who congratulated her, which she truly loved.” Sadly, she did not get the same reaction from her husband. “She made her way to Charles, and as she stood before him, I could sense she desperately wanted his approval. He said, “Well done, darling,” and turned to talk with someone else,” Allan wrote.
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Allan’s book provides another glimpse into the heartbreaking and complex private life of Princess Diana, and we are curious to see what other revelations will come from it.