Freddie Mercury smuggled Princess Diana into a gay club disguised as a male model, according to a new book.
Comedian Cleo Rocos claims that in the late 1980s she and Kenny Everett accompanied the pair to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, south London, with the princess dressed in an army jacket, cap and sunglasses.
In her new book, "The Power of Positive Drinking," serialised in the Sunday Times, Rocos writes: "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."
"She did look like a beautiful young man."
The presence of Mercury, Everett and Rocos diverted revellers' attention and Diana was able to order drinks undetected, Rocos recalled.
Link : link
Genius, if true. Doubt it though - Roccos was probably out of her face on Coke again and wanted to believe it was Diana. Palace security would NEVER have allowed that to happen.
Well, that's a new one. I think I can add a bit to this since the RVT was one of my regular haunts in the late 80's.
Firstly, I knew the manager at the time (a straight Irish guy called Brendan ) very well. And all the regular bar staff.
I was there at least 3 times a week (including Thursdays for the pre-stardom Lily Savage show) and at no point did I hear that Kenny, Cleo and FM had been in. It is hugely unlikely that no-one would have told me knowing what a big Queen fan I was.
Having said that, the gay scene was quite cool about famous faces and would not really have created too much of a fuss.
Freddie and Kenny were regulars at Copas in Earls Court (not far from Garden Lodge) and to be honest no one really cared less. They certainly weren't mobbed.
If true, I'm not at all surprised that no one took any notice of Diana. In disguise as a man she would have looked like a pretty-boy. Not exactly the type of man that would interest the RVT guys who were more into the rugged 'tached types .
I think it was all a diversion to cover up the fact that Elvis had been working there as waiter for many years. He went there right after he shot Kennedy and faked the moon landings.
1988? Were Freddie and Kenny talking then? Also, I just assumed Freddie had stopped going to gay clubs then?
When i first read the story i assumed it must have been the early eighties, but Golden Girls didn't air in England until 86. Hmm.
Fireplace wrote:
I think it was all a diversion to cover up the fact that Elvis had been working there as waiter for many years. He went there right after he shot Kennedy and faked the moon landings.
Fireplace wrote:
I think it was all a diversion to cover up the fact that Elvis had been working there as waiter for many years. He went there right after he shot Kennedy and faked the moon landings.
Was tin foil even created back then?
Barely. Would have made the perfect disguise for Lady Di though.
I didn't realize this had been posted in two different places! Ha! On the one Mickey Parise linked to, she looks like John Lennon.
I really want this to be true, but I"m not sure. Lots of people in the comments are crying "April Fools!"