Travolta says in the special that First Lady Nancy Reagan tapped him on the shoulder at the 1985 White House dinner and said that the princess wanted to dance with him.
Calling it a “storybook moment,” actor John Travolta is opening up about the night in 1985 he famously danced with Princess Diana at the White House.
In the new PBS special, “In Their Own Words: Princess Diana,” Travolta revealed it was First Lady Nancy Reagan who orchestrated the whole thing.
“Nancy Reagan tapped on my shoulder and said, ‘The Princess — her fantasy is to dance with you. Would you dance with her tonight?’ And I said, ‘Well of course!’” Travolta said.
The “Grease” star said the moment was nerve-wracking.
“My heart started to race. I tap her on the shoulder, and she turns around and looks at me and she had that bashful dip that she did. She looked up and I said, ‘Would you care to dance with me?’ and she said yes," Travolta said.
They danced to a medley of songs from Travolta movies.
"We bowed when it was over and she was off, and I was off, and my carriage turned into a pumpkin,” Travolta said.
