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British Royals

Michael J. Fox shares secret of his film premiere night out with Diana

Michael J. Fox has described sitting next to Diana, Princess of Wales as a dream and a nightmare combined. Speaking of his experience hosting the royal during the premiere of Back to the Future in 1985, the star said he couldn’t fully enjoy his royal meeting as he started needing a comfort break as the film began and wasn’t allowed to leave her side until it was over.

‘’The movie started and also I had to go pee,’’ Fox said during an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. ‘’I can’t say anything to her and I can’t walk away from her because I can’t turn my back on her…..it could have been the greatest night of my life but it was just a nightmare. A pee-holding nightmare.’’

The revelations came as Michael J. Fox talked about his book, No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality. The actor, then one of the biggest names in cinema, attended the London premiere alongside director, Steven Spielberg.

He said he didn’t realise he would be sitting with the princess until just before the showing got under way when he noticed the seat next to him had been left empty. He joked he didn’t think that Charles would want to sit next to him for the film and went on to add about Diana that ‘’she was great, she was so sweet’’.

About author

Lydia Starbuck is Jubilee and Associate Editor at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra. Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024. June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station. June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.