Latest news with #RoyalVauxhallTavern
Daily Mail
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Inside Princess Diana's secret night out with Freddie Mercury - from her 'male drag' disguise to visiting the most famous gay bar in London
Princess Diana was one of the most photographed women in the world. So it is no surprise that she went above and beyond to break free from the intrusive lens of the paparazzi. The late Princess of Wales once disguised herself as a 'rather eccentrically dressed male model' to sneak into one of London 's most famous gay bars, according to a new biography excerpted by People Magazine. In Dianaworld: An Obsession, which is to be released by Penguin on May 8, author Edward White describes the night Diana joined TV personality Cleo Rocos and Queen frontman Freddie Mercury at the apartment of radio DJ Kenny Everett to watch Golden Girls. But later in the evening, as Rocos confirms in her own memoir, Diana persuaded the group to take her to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern - a Grade II listed entertainment venue in London that still hosts weekly cabaret drag acts. Although Everett warned the royal that the club was 'not for you... full of hairy gay men', Diana was apparently insistent and promised she 'just wanted the thrill of going in, undetected, to order one drink, and would then leave right away'. In order to do so, the princess borrowed Everett's clothes to 'disguise herself in male drag'. 'A camouflage army jacket, hair tucked up into a leather cap and dark aviator sunglasses,' Rocos wrote in her 1988 autobiography The Power of Positive Drinking. 'Scrutinising her in the half-light we decided that the most famous icon of the modern world might just... JUST, pass for a rather eccentrically dressed gay male model.' The haphazard disguise seemed to work with Rocos describing the night out as 'fabulously outrageous' and 'bizarrely exciting'. 'No one, absolutely no one, recognised Diana,' she wrote. As promised, Diana only ordered one drink before leaving the venue, making sure to send Everett his clothes upon her return to Kensington Palace the following day. 'The story sounds far-fetched,' White admits in his new book. 'Like one of the many apocryphal yarns of royal transformation that litter folklore and fairytales. 'Equally, Diana at the gay bar could be said to have a Shakespearean quality, with a girl dressed as a boy slipping into an enchanted world. 'Irrespective of its veracity, the story of Diana in drag at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern has been taken up as an illustration of her connection with the gay community and a metaphor for her own search for a family in which she felt truly accepted.' In 2017, cabaret performer Desmond O'Connor wrote a musical called Royal Vauxhall based on the infamous tale of Diana's night out. The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London still hosts cabaret nights Its performance coincided with the 20th anniversary of Diana's death and came at a time when a string of famous London gay venues were going out of business - including the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. White writes: 'It struck O'Connor as a powerful theme that united Diana's life with the experiences of London's gay community: both needed places to go where they could be themselves. 'Diana may have had the luxurious residences of Kensington Palace, Highgrove, and Althorp at her disposal but, Royal Vauxhall contends, each of them was a gilded cage where only her material needs could be fully met. 'It was in the guise of a different person that, for at least one night, she could discover herself.' There is a long list of tales about Diana disguising herself to go unnoticed by the paparazzi. Indeed, the late Princess of Wales allegedly accompanied Hasnat Khan, the British Pakistani surgeon she dated between 1995 and 1997, to Ronnie Scott's jazz bar in Soho while wearing a wig and glasses. 'She'd wear a wig as a disguise and in the gloomy atmosphere of the club no one noticed her', said Simon Cooke, the managing director of the club. In her book Diana: Her Last Love, author Kate Snell said that the princess would often dress in disguise to avoid public recognition while dating the doctor. Snell tells of the time her close friend and psychic healer Simone Simons was too stunned to speak when Diana appeared in the drawing room of Kensington Palace wearing a 'long dark brown wig recently acquired on her behalf by her butler Paul Burrell from the Oxford Street department store, Selfridges.' 'It was one of several wigs Diana had adapted for herself, and such disguises became key to going out with Khan, safe from detection by public and paparazzi,' wrote Snell. In the 2017 documentary Diana: The Woman Inside, Simmons would also go on to reveal that the princess would wear disguises in order go shopping without attracting attention. 'In spite of the media putting her in the spotlight, she put on her wig, wore what she wanted, came for walks on Hampstead Heath, went to the charity shop with me in Camden High Street,' Simmons told the documentary crew. 'One time she was experimenting and this person answered the door to me, walked me up the stairs into the small lounge and William and Harry were there, and she said "the princess will see you now," and the boys just could not stop she said "I fooled you!"'
Express Tribune
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Diana in Drag? New Biography details how the Princess of Wales' snuck into a gay bar with Freddie Mercury
A new biography of Princess Diana is making headlines for revisiting a decades-old story that blurs the line between royal myth and cultural legend. In Dianaworld: An Obsession by Edward White, the late Princess of Wales is said to have disguised herself in drag to visit the Royal Vauxhall Tavern—a well-known London gay bar—accompanied by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and television personality Kenny Everett. Photo: W. W. Norton & Company The account, originally shared by actress Cleo Rocos, describes Diana's ensemble as a camouflage jacket, leather cap, and aviator sunglasses. According to Rocos, the group managed to enter unnoticed, with Diana's disguise convincing enough that she passed as an eccentric male model. They stayed briefly for a drink before returning to Kensington Palace, and Diana reportedly returned Everett's clothing the next day. Though never officially confirmed, the story has resurfaced over the years as a symbol of Diana's unique relationship with the LGBTQ+ community and her desire to experience life outside the confines of royal protocol. The book places this anecdote within a broader narrative about Diana's search for identity, privacy, and connection—especially following her separation from then-Prince Charles. Author Edward White revisits Diana's early years, her evolving public persona, and her lesser-known escapades with empathy and detail. The biography portrays these moments not as isolated episodes, . Dianaworld: An Obsession is out 29 April.
New York Post
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Princess Diana's trip to gay bar with Freddie Mercury resurfaces as new book details late royal's night out in drag
Princess Diana's night out at a gay bar with Freddie Mercury is making headlines again as a new book recounts the late royal's escape from the palace dressed in male drag. The story is one of many enmeshed in Diana's mythology dissected in 'Dianaworld: An Obsession' (out Tuesday) by biographer Edward White, who cites actress Cleo Rocos' 2013 memoir for evidence of the princess' wild London night. In 'The Power of Positive Drinking,' Rocos claimed that the she, along with her friend Kenny Everett and Mercury, disguised the late Princess of Wales in drag so she could go to one of London's most popular gay bars, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. 10 Princess Diana's night out at a gay bar with Freddie Mercury is making headlines again as a new book recounts the late royal's escape from the palace dressed in male drag. UK Press via Getty Images 10 The story is one of many enmeshed in Diana's mythology dissected in 'Dianaworld: An Obsession' (out Tuesday) by biographer Edward White, who cites actress Cleo Rocos' 2013 memoir for evidence of the princess' wild London night. Getty Images The trip allegedly happened in 1988 after Rocos, the princess, the Queen frontman and Everett spent an afternoon 'drinking champagne in front of reruns of 'The Golden Girls' with the sound turned down' so they could improvise dialogue with 'a much naughtier storyline.' When Diana — 'in full mischief mode' — learned of her friends' plans to go to a gay bar that evening, she insisted on going. Rocos and Everett attempted to dissuade her, with Everett telling Di that the bar was 'not for you ' and 'full of hairy gay men.' The princess was intransigent. Mercury then supposedly chimed in with, 'Go on, let the girl have some fun,' and the matter was settled. 10 The trip allegedly happened in 1988 after Rocos, the princess, the Queen frontman and Everett spent an afternoon 'drinking champagne in front of reruns of 'The Golden Girls' with the sound turned down' so they could improvise dialogue with 'a much naughtier storyline.' Getty Images 10 When Diana — 'in full mischief mode' — learned of her friends' plans to go to a gay bar that evening, she insisted on going. Edward White Everett decided that, if the show must go on, he would disguise Di in drag: 'a camouflage army jacket, hair tucked up into a leather cap and dark aviator sunglasses.' 'Scrutinizing her in the half-light we decided that the most famous icon of the modern world might just . . . JUST, pass for a rather eccentrically dressed gay male model,' Rocos recalled. 'She did look like a beautiful young man.' As the group 'inched through the leather throngs and thongs' at the Royal Vauxhall, Diana's friends were terrified the ruse would collapse. 10 'Scrutinizing her in the half-light we decided that the most famous icon of the modern world might just . . . JUST, pass for a rather eccentrically dressed gay male model,' Rocos recalled. 'She did look like a beautiful young man.' Getty Images 10 As the group 'inched through the leather throngs and thongs' at the Royal Vauxhall, Diana's friends were terrified the ruse would collapse. Getty Images '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,' Rocos remembered. '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!' Per Rocos, the princess sent Everett's clothes back to him the following morning with a note: 'We must do it again!' 10 '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,' Rocos remembered. WireImage 10 '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!' Steve Jennings/ The story has been disputed by Mercury's former assistant and friend Peter Freestone, however. 'No, not at all,' Freestone replied when asked by Express Online in 2019 whether the night out ever took place. 'Maybe Diana went with Kenny but Freddie wasn't there. He never met her.' As White wrote in his new book, Diana's trip to a London gay bar with Freddie Mercury 'sounds far-fetched, like one of the many apocryphal yarns of royal transformation that litter folklore and fairytales.' Yet, it also fits with Diana's documented penchant for escaping royal life undercover so she could experience the wider world. 10 The story has been disputed by Mercury's former assistant and friend Peter Freestone, however. UK Press via Getty Images 10 'No, not at all,' Freestone replied when asked by Express Online in 2019 whether the night out ever took place. 'Maybe Diana went with Kenny but Freddie wasn't there. He never met her.' Redferns '[T]here are other, slightly less fantastical, tales about Diana disguising herself on nights out, such as when she accompanied Hasnat Khan to Ronnie Scott's jazz bar in Soho, the princess obscuring her true self beneath a wig and glasses,' White emphasized. Apocryphal or not, the story — which inspired the cabaret musical, 'Royal Vauxhall' — 'has been taken up as an illustration of her connection with the gay community and a metaphor for her own search for a family in which she felt truly accepted,' White added.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘People are still doing it, but nobody talks about it': queer collective Duckie break the chemsex taboo
'It's sort of a daytime TV chatshow, mixed with an avant garde variety show,' explains Simon Casson, co-founder and producer of the legendary queer nightlife collective Duckie. Casson is explaining the colourful concept of Rat Park, the group's latest project. 'There's going to be a big bonfire in the garden and candles outdoors in jam jars, it's all very beautiful,' he says. 'Inside, there will be discussions and performance pieces, then interviews, then another performance and more conversations – all about the terribly embarrassing subject of queer people and our sex lives.' Rat Park will run every Saturday afternoon in February, which is LGBTQ+ history month in the UK. The collaborative events, which will be held at a 'secret location', bring together community names such as artist and archivist Ajamu X, HIV activist Marc Thompson and author Matthew Todd, alongside a selection of performers including cabaret act Rhys' Pieces and artist Zack Mennell. Each week is themed on a different body fluid. 'Blood' points the way to discussions of HIV and family, whereas 'tears' might prompt conversations about grief, rejection and masculinity. (Use your imagination for the other two weeks: piss and spunk.) Sex and intimacy are the threads that bind Rat Park together. And although everyone is welcome, there is a particular focus on queer men over 40. This is because the event isn't just anchored around sex, but particularly chemsex – sex parties including the use of drugs such as methamphetamine (known as crystal meth or 'tina') and GHB. Casson tells me that the event is purposely positioned in the so-called 'Tina Triangle' – the area between Oval, Vauxhall and Stockwell, where there is a high concentration of gay residents and chemsex parties. 'I'm 58, so obviously my generation grew up among a lot of homophobia. It's hard to get rid of that and sometimes it comes out in funny ways as we get older,' he says. 'And when you then introduce something like chemsex, with the power of a drug like crystal meth, it can become quite irresistible for a lot of us.' In the 2010s, chemsex inspired a flurry of mainstream media coverage. More support services soon became available. But it feels as if the 'story' has now moved on, even though there are still three suspected chemsex-related deaths every month in London alone. 'A lot of people are still doing it, but it's a secret,' Casson says. 'It's underground. It's taboo. Nobody talks about it.' He sees Rat Park as a chance to restart the conversation. As a sober event held in the afternoon, Rat Park has a different vibe to Duckie's usual offering, which culminates in 'dancing, drinking and disco'. The collective was founded in 1995 in the Royal Vauxhall Tavern – a London pub that has been at the centre of LGBTQ+ nightlife and activism for decades. Like the RVT itself, Duckie's output is vibrant and varied. 'It was and is a bunch of queer misfits who were disfranchised by shit gay clubbing, who brought together artists, performers and drag queens from the club world and beyond,' says performer and writer Scottee, who started his career there. 'It's an alchemy of outsiders who make work that is motivated by the issues facing the community.' The collective's 2002 Christmas show, C'est Vauxhall, seated guests at tables and offered them the chance to order short acts using 'Duckie dollars' from a menu. The following year, this was recreated at the Barbican, which won an Olivier award for best entertainment show – a watershed moment that brought them to venues including the Sydney Opera House. In 2022, Duckie announced the end of its weekly residence at the RVT, saying it would continue to put on events such as Rat Park on an ad-hoc basis. 'Duckie is a family,' says Neil Bartlett, whose award-winning career as a theatre director, performer and writer spans five decades. Bartlett used to test out his short performance pieces on Duckie nights and continues to collaborate with them because of the 'unrivalled' connection with the audience. 'I'm probably the only person whose CV includes opening a new piece at the National Theatre and at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in the same week,' he says. 'Some people might say: 'The last thing that he did was working with Emma Corrin in the West End. Why is he going back to Vauxhall?' Well, I never left Vauxhall.' Rat Park is a natural fit for Bartlett, because sexual politics is a thread that runs through his work. 'The intention here is to create a warm and caring space, where we can get together as a community,' he says. 'There is a concentration of addiction issues, mental health issues and loneliness, but I think we also need to talk about how we're having a fabulous time, too. We're finding new ways to love each other, new ways to have sex with each other.' And these conversations don't have to be geared around younger people. 'Each week at Rat Park I'm going to be performing a new set of five-minute monologues,' Bartlett says. 'I'll be speaking as a proud gay pensioner.' Scottee will be taking on the role of moderator and interviewer. He hopes to facilitate face-to-face conversations that, as the LGBTQ+ community has moved online, feel more rare. To some people, meeting in a physical space might even seem like a 'radical, old-fashioned' idea. 'The art of conversation in queer culture now often boils down to, 'Hey mate, what are you into?'' he explains. 'But this is going to go beyond that. I love a bit of chat, because I think most queens and queers are very profound. We've observed and watched the world for a long time.' Related: Cheerio, Duckie: regulars look back at the LGBTQ+ club that broke the mould Reading the event description, it's impossible to miss a sense of warmth and sheer randomness that feels representative of the LGBTQ+ nightlife spaces Duckie descends from. Promised attractions include 'shaved arses' and performances by Shirley Bassey (a drag act, not the real one). Attenders will even be served jacket potatoes and cake. 'At the heart Duckie is working-class hospitality culture, so this is what happens when that meets radical queer culture,' Scottee says. 'When money is tight, giving people a meal is a gesture. That used to happen so much more in queer community spaces, so here you're going to get shaved arses and jacket potatoes.' In conversation with Bartlett, I tried to define that specific irreverence – a campiness that feels homely, familiar and very queer. 'High-quality chaos' was the wording I eventually landed on. 'Ooh, I'm going to steal that one,' he says. 'A loving afternoon of high-quality chaos. Who wouldn't want to come?' • Rat Park takes place on 1, 8, 15 and 22 February in London
The Guardian
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
‘People are still doing it, but nobody talks about it': queer collective Duckie break the chemsex taboo
'It's sort of a daytime TV chatshow, mixed with an avant garde variety show,' explains Simon Casson, co-founder and producer of the legendary queer nightlife collective Duckie. Casson is explaining the colourful concept of Rat Park, the group's latest project. 'There's going to be a big bonfire in the garden and candles outdoors in jam jars, it's all very beautiful,' he says. 'Inside, there will be discussions and performance pieces, then interviews, then another performance and more conversations – all about the terribly embarrassing subject of queer people and our sex lives.' Rat Park will run every Saturday afternoon in February, which is LGBTQ+ history month in the UK. The collaborative events, which will be held at a 'secret location', bring together community names such as artist and archivist Ajamu X, HIV activist Marc Thompson and author Matthew Todd, alongside a selection of performers including cabaret act Rhys' Pieces and artist Zack Mennell. Each week is themed on a different body fluid. 'Blood' points the way to discussions of HIV and family, whereas 'tears' might prompt conversations about grief, rejection and masculinity. (Use your imagination for the other two weeks: piss and spunk.) Sex and intimacy are the threads that bind Rat Park together. And although everyone is welcome, there is a particular focus on queer men over 40. This is because the event isn't just anchored around sex, but particularly chemsex – sex parties including the use of drugs such as methamphetamine (known as crystal meth or 'tina') and GHB. Casson tells me that the event is purposely positioned in the so-called 'Tina Triangle' – the area between Oval, Vauxhall and Stockwell, where there is a high concentration of gay residents and chemsex parties. 'I'm 58, so obviously my generation grew up among a lot of homophobia. It's hard to get rid of that and sometimes it comes out in funny ways as we get older,' he says. 'And when you then introduce something like chemsex, with the power of a drug like crystal meth, it can become quite irresistible for a lot of us.' In the 2010s, chemsex inspired a flurry of mainstream media coverage. More support services soon became available. But it feels as if the 'story' has now moved on, even though there are still three suspected chemsex-related deaths every month in London alone. 'A lot of people are still doing it, but it's a secret,' Casson says. 'It's underground. It's taboo. Nobody talks about it.' He sees Rat Park as a chance to restart the conversation. As a sober event held in the afternoon, Rat Park has a different vibe to Duckie's usual offering, which culminates in 'dancing, drinking and disco'. The collective was founded in 1995 in the Royal Vauxhall Tavern – a London pub that has been at the centre of LGBTQ+ nightlife and activism for decades. Like the RVT itself, Duckie's output is vibrant and varied. 'It was and is a bunch of queer misfits who were disfranchised by shit gay clubbing, who brought together artists, performers and drag queens from the club world and beyond,' says performer and writer Scottee, who started his career there. 'It's an alchemy of outsiders who make work that is motivated by the issues facing the community.' The collective's 2002 Christmas show, C'est Vauxhall, seated guests at tables and offered them the chance to order short acts using 'Duckie dollars' from a menu. The following year, this was recreated at the Barbican, which won an Olivier award for best entertainment show – a watershed moment that brought them to venues including the Sydney Opera House. In 2022, Duckie announced the end of its weekly residence at the RVT, saying it would continue to put on events such as Rat Park on an ad-hoc basis. 'Duckie is a family,' says Neil Bartlett, whose award-winning career as a theatre director, performer and writer spans five decades. Bartlett used to test out his short performance pieces on Duckie nights and continues to collaborate with them because of the 'unrivalled' connection with the audience. 'I'm probably the only person whose CV includes opening a new piece at the National Theatre and at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern in the same week,' he says. 'Some people might say: 'The last thing that he did was working with Emma Corrin in the West End. Why is he going back to Vauxhall?' Well, I never left Vauxhall.' Rat Park is a natural fit for Bartlett, because sexual politics is a thread that runs through his work. 'The intention here is to create a warm and caring space, where we can get together as a community,' he says. 'There is a concentration of addiction issues, mental health issues and loneliness, but I think we also need to talk about how we're having a fabulous time, too. We're finding new ways to love each other, new ways to have sex with each other.' And these conversations don't have to be geared around younger people. 'Each week at Rat Park I'm going to be performing a new set of five-minute monologues,' Bartlett says. 'I'll be speaking as a proud gay pensioner.' Scottee will be taking on the role of moderator and interviewer. He hopes to facilitate face-to-face conversations that, as the LGBTQ+ community has moved online, feel more rare. To some people, meeting in a physical space might even seem like a 'radical, old-fashioned' idea. 'The art of conversation in queer culture now often boils down to, 'Hey mate, what are you into?'' he explains. 'But this is going to go beyond that. I love a bit of chat, because I think most queens and queers are very profound. We've observed and watched the world for a long time.' Reading the event description, it's impossible to miss a sense of warmth and sheer randomness that feels representative of the LGBTQ+ nightlife spaces Duckie descends from. Promised attractions include 'shaved arses' and performances by Shirley Bassey (a drag act, not the real one). Attenders will even be served jacket potatoes and cake. 'At the heart Duckie is working-class hospitality culture, so this is what happens when that meets radical queer culture,' Scottee says. 'When money is tight, giving people a meal is a gesture. That used to happen so much more in queer community spaces, so here you're going to get shaved arses and jacket potatoes.' In conversation with Bartlett, I tried to define that specific irreverence – a campiness that feels homely, familiar and very queer. 'High-quality chaos' was the wording I eventually landed on. 'Ooh, I'm going to steal that one,' he says. 'A loving afternoon of high-quality chaos. Who wouldn't want to come?' Rat Park takes place on 1, 8, 15 and 22 February in London
