Netflix’s The Crown sometimes swaps facts for fictional royal drama, but one of Season 4’s more entertaining episode openers recreates an amazing real moment in Princess Diana’s life: her surprise performance dancing to Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” at the Royal Opera House in 1985.
Diana planned and rehearsed the dance as a Christmas gift for Prince Charles, but as seen on The Crown, the prince was not a fan of seeing his wife seek the spotlight.
This clip from CBS’ 2017 48 Hours special Princess Diana: Her Life, Her Death, Her Truth features Wayne Sleep, the actor who danced with Diana on stage at the Royal Opera House describing his 1985 performance with her. He recalls his once-in-a-lifetime experience with clarity and excitement, even remembering the choreography down to the move.
Actor and dancer Jay Webb plays Wayne Sleep on The Crown in the series’ recreation of the “Uptown Girl” performance.