Princess Diana dressed as a man to visit a gay bar with Freddie Mercury and DJ Everett
As one of the most famous women in the world, she had to go to extraordinary lengths to avoid being recognised.
Princess Diana dressed up as a 'male model' so she could enjoy an anonymous night out at a gay bar with Queen singer Freddie Mercury, television entertainer Kenny Everett and his co-star Cleo Rocos, it has been claimed.
The Princess of Wales was a fan of the Kenny Everett Television Show and struck up a friendship with him and Miss Rocos. It was during one of their many get-togethers that a drink at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London was suggested.
Making the claims in her new book, Miss Rocos sets the scene by describing how Mercury had also come round to Everett's flat and the four of them were larking around on Everett's sofa watching The Golden Girls.
Miss Rocos wrote: 'I don't think anything could be more camp than Diana, Kenny, Freddie and me sitting on Kenny's sofa, all watching The Golden Girls.
'Kenny turned the sound down on the television and we improvised the voices, but with a much naughtier storyline. .jpg)
'Kenny was Blanche, Diana was Dorothy, Freddie was Sophia and I was Rose – we were uncontrollable with laughter. Diana, who was 27 at the time, was giggling from behind a cushion and asked what our plans were for that evening.
'Freddie told her we were going to the Vauxhall Tavern. Diana said she had never heard of it and she'd like to come.' Attempts were made to dissuade Diana but Miss Rocos said she was in 'mischief mode' and intent on having her way, adding: 'She turned to Mercury who declared: 'Go on, let the girl have some fun. Can you imagine?''.
Miss Rocos went on: 'She [Diana] wanted the thrill of going in undetected to order one drink and would leave right away, she promised.
'She tried on the outfit Kenny had intended to wear: a camouflage army jacket, hair tucked up into a leather cap and dark aviator sunglasses.
'Scrutinising her in the half light, we decided that the most famous icon of the modern world might just – just – pass for a rather eccentrically dressed gay male model.'
The foursome arrived at the bar and Princess Diana ordered a white wine and a beer. With their mission accomplished, the group then made a swift exit and dropped Diana off at Kensington Palace.
The claims appear in Miss Rocos's new book, The Power of Positive Drinking. Diana's love of wearing a disguise to venture out in public unnoticed is well documented but this is the first time that her decision to dress up as a man for the 1988 bar visit has been revealed in such detail.
Miss Rocos, 50, also discloses how Diana was partial to a bellini – a cocktail made with champagne and peach juice or puree. She said: 'There was always great excitement and anticipation after receiving an invitation for lunch with Princess Diana.
'She was a big fan of the Kenny Everett Television Show and we got to know each other over the years. She had a wicked sense of humour. We would meet and the three of us would swap all the fabulous gossip and goings-on. She would often refer to someone by their star sign, saying, “Oh, that randy old Taurean” or “typical Sagittarian, always dancing on the table with a bottle of vodka down his trousers”.'
Daily mail
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