Princess Diana will always remain an enigma. The more we know about her, the more we want to know. What was she like? What did she do? How she stood up to royals?
But that was not all she was. She was an extremely compassionate yet fun person. There are many stories of her sneaking off to places and enjoying moments in her otherwise tragic life. One such moment is when she went to a gay bar.
Princess Diana went on a covert trip to a gay bar in the 1980s. She was disguised in male drag and escorted by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
This story continues to excite followers of both music and the royal monarchy. Edward White’s latest book, Dianaworld: An Obsession, revisits the story. This story was first told by comedian and actress Cleo Rocos in her 2013 memoir, The Power of Positive Drinking.
Rocos claims that the legendary evening took place on a laid-back afternoon. Diana, Mercury, and comedian Kenny Everett were together. The gang playfully improvised their own dialogue over the TV show while sipping champagne. They were watching muted reruns of The Golden Girls for hours at Everett’s house.
Fact: Freddie Mercury once snuck Princess Diana into a gay bar wearing a disguise 😂❤️ pic.twitter.com/oWl9Dzb9ST
— sugar 🦸🏾♀️ (@GrimesXGurira) November 17, 2021
Suddenly, Mercury recommended going to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. It is one of London’s most well-known gay bars. The afternoon of a relaxed get-together turned into an exciting adventure.
Diana was keen to participate. But her security and privacy were crucial. After all, she was the most photographed lady in the world.
The disguise was quickly planned. Diana put on a leather aviator cap, mirrored sunglasses, and a camouflage army jacket to hide who she was. Rocos described her appearance as that of “a rather eccentrically dressed gay male model.” Yet it was good enough. No one recognised her in the bar.
The gang was lucky. They managed to slip past the security guard and ended up in the venue’s parking lot. After being in the public eye all the time, Diana enjoyed these private moments.
Diana was the most photographed woman in the world…
Her story tonight at 9/8c on @NBC. #Dateline pic.twitter.com/3GF6zdhwuD
— Dateline NBC (@DatelineNBC) December 18, 2020
She relished the independence and privacy inside the bar. She socialised informally and even placed drink orders at the gay bar. Diana’s subdued presence went unnoticed. But Mercury and Everett weren’t so lucky. They were quickly recognised and had their time in the spotlight in the bar, too. The gang discreetly left after spending some time there. They had kept this trip a well-kept secret until Rocos made it public years later.
Now, the narrative has been challenged a lot. More by the fans and Mercury’s own band members. Peter Freestone, Mercury’s former secretary, claimed that the rock legend had never met Diana. Yet the story has survived. Not only that, but it has also evolved into contemporary folklore.
@thequeenpod I’d read the famous Princess Diana and Freddie story wasn’t true because of this Peter Freestone interview. I guess we’ll never know for sure but it sure is a very funny urban myth 😉 pic.twitter.com/Vc7E0KGMfK
— RogueStar (@RogueStar1138) March 10, 2021
Rocos has always maintained her stance and her story. The story is a little glimpse into the world of Lady Diana and keeps pulling people back to her rebellious nature.
No one other than those who are named in this story knows if this is true or not. Suppose it is folklore; what a way to be remembered. And if this is true, it is a tiny glimpse into the enigma that Diana was. A very young girl who just wanted to be loved. She was what she was because of her resilience and rebellious courage. And the world would do nothing less than to remember her just like that.
