It’s a story of folklore and legend that’s been the subject of TV drama, a musical and numerous newspaper articles; yet some still cast doubt on whether it actually happened – Did Freddie Mercury and Kenny Everitt really take Princess Diana for a night out at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern?
Princess Diana was undoubtedly one of the most photographed celebrities of her age. So it seems remarkable to imagine that anyone could fail to recognise her. So how was it possible for her to go unrecognised in such a public place – the answer was that she was in disguise dressed as a man.
Di in Drag at the Tavern
The story was first revealed in the memoir by Cleo Rocos, The Power of Positive Drinking, in which the actress recalled one of the more raucous days that she, Princess Diana, Mercury and comedian Kenny Everett spent together in the 1980s. She further elaborated on the story in her other book Kenny and Me: Bananas Forever.
The Princess of Wales was a big fan of the Kenny Everett Television Show and struck up a friendship with both him and Miss Rocos.
The Golden Girls – re dubbed
In her books, Cleo Rocos recalls that the group had started the afternoon off drinking champagne and watching Golden Girls at Everett’s home, where they improvised their own “naughtier storyline” over the top of muted episodes.
‘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.
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.
Cleo Rocos – Kenny & Me …Bananas forever
Out to the RVT
As the day wore on, Princess Diana found out her friends were planning to hit the famed gay bar Royal Vauxhall Tavern and Diana asked to come along.
Saying that she was in “full mischief mode”, it was Mercury who eventually convinced the group by saying, “Go on, let the girl have some fun.”
Kenny then allegedly dressed Diana up in his clothes, and Rocos claimed that she looked like “a rather eccentrically dressed gay male model.”
Rocos added, “She did look like a beautiful young man.”
“When we walked in… we felt she was obviously Princess Diana and would be discovered at any minute. But people just seemed to blank her. She sort of disappeared. But she loved it.”
Cleo Rocos
A quick trip to the bar
The mission was eventually a success and Rocos recalled that the group “inched through the leather throngs and thongs” at the bar, where Princess Diana was eventually able to order drinks: a glass of white wine and some beer.
Rocos wrote, “We were nudging each other like naughty schoolchildren. Diana and Freddie were giggling… Once the transaction was completed, we looked at one another, united in our triumphant quest. We did it!”
However, the group only stayed for twenty minutes before leaving.
Sky Arts – Urban Myths
The story was dramatised (with some poetic licence) in the Sky Arts series Urban Myths– which you can view below.
The musicial
In 2016, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern played host to a musical play in honour of Diana’s brief but wild night out entitled The Royal Vauxhall.
Some other curious stories
The England football Superstar whose proud of his Kennington Roots(Opens in a new browser tab)
