With Season Four of The Crown about to premiere on Netflix this weekend, it seemed the perfect time to reflect on Princess Diana's relationship with Ballet.
Princess Diana had a life long love of dance, she famously performed with Wayne Sleep onstage at The Royal Opera House in December 1985.
It was a private gala for supporters and friends of The Royal Ballet and the pair performed a routine to Billy Joel's 'Uptown Girl'; they'd managed to keep their rehearsals secret, and as Wayne Sleep recalls "The audience gasped when Diana appeared, as if they’d all taken one huge breath"
Unsurprisingly, they took eight curtain calls, Diana even dropped a curtsy to the royal box which contained Prince Charles; who in public confessed himself 'absolutely amazed' by Diana's display but in private is rumoured to have described it as 'inappropriate behaviour'.
Like so many of us Diana fell in love with dance at a young age, studying both ballet and tap; she took comfort in the freedom of movement and, whilst a pupil at Riddlesworth Hall, would creep out of bed in the middle of the night and practice ballet for hours in the new school hall "It always released tremendous tension in my head" she said.
In 1975 her family moved to Althorp and Diana, making the most of this beautiful setting, would practice her arabesques on the sandstone balustrades and dance beneath portraits of her distinguished ancestors in the black and white marble entrance hall.
At 5ft 10½ inches, she deemed herself too tall to pursue her dream of becoming a professional ballet dancer, but the dance shaped space in her soul remained.
During the build-up to her wedding she invited her former teacher Wendy Mitchell and pianist Lily Snipp to Buckingham Palace so that she could take class; it was an escape from the stresses and strains of her new position.
Princess Diana's affiliation with dance continued throughout her life, she was Patron of London City Ballet 1983 - 1996.
This YouTube video shows her visiting the studio and Harold King securing her patronage.
She was also Patron of English National Ballet from 1989 - 1997
The above photograph taken, rather poignantly, on June 3rd 1997, as Princess Diana greets the cast of Swan Lake (her favourite ballet) at The Royal Albert Hall.
This was the first year they presented Derek Deane's in-the-round production.
Oh yes, and she also got to dance will John Travolta at The White House on 9th November 1985.....although apparently it was another guest that she really had her sights set on as a dance partner that night....none other than Mikhail Baryshnikov....and who can blame her!
Season 4 of The Crown premieres on Netflix on Sunday 15th November
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