As two of the most photographed icons of the 20th century, Princess Diana and JFK Jr lived parallel lives under the relentless glare of the paparazzi. Yet, when they finally slipped away for a top-secret meeting at the Carlyle Hotel in 1995, they managed to pull off an encounter in the Big Apple that went completely undetected by the world. Now, the fascinating inside story of that afternoon has been retold - including JFK Jr's unfiltered first impressions of the Princess.
Speaking in Manhattan at HELLO!'s very first readers' event in the US - a special live taping of A Right Royal Podcast - JFK Jr's former Chief of Staff and close confidante, RoseMarie Terenzio, shared the hilarious and surprising four-word reaction John had after meeting Diana.
Scroll down to watch the full podcast episode.
RoseMarie took our readers back to 1995 at our exclusive event, held at the Moxy NYC Chelsea. At the time, JFK Jr was launching his political and lifestyle magazine, George, and desperately wanted Princess Diana to grace the cover. But orchestrating a meeting between America's "Prince" and the world's most famous royal without the paparazzi getting wind of it was a logistical nightmare.
"I was terrified," RoseMarie admitted during the live taping. "I was terrified that we wouldn't be able to keep it a secret."
To prevent the rumour mill from spinning out of control and sparking "tawdry" tabloid gossip of a secret affair, John insisted that RoseMarie accompany him to the hotel to keep the meeting strictly professional. After successfully slipping past the cameras via Madison Avenue, John went upstairs to Diana's private suite while RoseMarie waited in the lobby, pretending to talk on a payphone.
‘She's got great legs’
According to RoseMarie, the vibe in the room was formal but incredibly warm. She felt Diana had an almost motherly protective streak toward John. In RoseMarie's eyes, Diana clearly felt a deep empathy for him - knowing he had, by this point, lost both of his parents and completely understanding what it was like to carry the burden of global fame.
© Getty ImagesAs they drove away from the hotel, RoseMarie eagerly asked her boss how the meeting went and what the Princess was really like. JFK Jr didn't hold back.
"She was very shy," John told her, before cheekily adding: "She's got great legs."
Though Diana ultimately passed on the George cover, deciding it "wasn't the right time," the meeting remains one of the most legendary, secret encounters in Manhattan history - one that was kept completely under wraps by a relieved RoseMarie and Diana's personal secretary Patrick Jephson. The pair plotted out the details over the phone, but they never met until years later.
![Diana, pictured in January 1995, would stay at The Carlyle. Discussing Prince William and Princess Kate's 2014 stay at the iconic hotel, located on the Upper East Side, Jennifer Cooke, the hotel's former director of communications, said in the documentary Always at The Carlyle that she thinks they "definitely stayed here at The Carlyle because Princess Diana used to stay here, and she was very fond of this hotel, and I know they had heard about it. I heard him [William] say that in the lobby that he heard so much about this hotel through the years and they were really happy to be here."](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/large_original_aspect_ratio/002c39a73ab2-gettyimages-106743507.jpg)
© Ron Galella Collection via Getty"We pulled off the biggest caper in New York City at the time, and no one knew," RoseMarie laughed. "It went off without a hitch. It was incredible. We were so proud. If Patrick and I were in the same room, we would have toasted a glass of champagne!”
This royal revelation was just one of many shared during our US live event, which explored the British royals' special relationship with America. From RoseMarie sharing details of the "chilling" unreleased magazine sketch John and his team prepared for Princess Diana, to our Royal Editor Emily Nash revealing what it was like to accompany the King and Queen on their American State Visit, it's a must-watch for royal fans.
© Mike McGregor
© Mike McGregorFollowing a Q&A, guests snapped photos with our A Right Royal Podcast hosts Emily, HELLO!'s Digital Content Director Andrea Caamano and Entertainment Editor Emmy Griffiths. They also took home goodie bags that included Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream, Nexxus KERAPHIX Reair Liquid Crystallizer, TRESemmé Dry Texturizing Spray, No.7 products (Future Renew Serum; Future Renew Defense Shield Lightweight Moisturizer SPF 50; Lip Shine Oil + Purse Lip Chain), Bubly Wine Refresher Rosé, doughnuts from the Doughnut Plant, a The Noortwyck voucher for a martini and burger deal, and Nixie soda.
How to watch the podcast episode
As a VIP member, you can watch the full episode of HELLO!'s special live A Right Royal Podcast episode below:
