Princess Diana was left laughing after Fran Drescher made a joke at the CFDA Awards. Photo / Getty Images
Princess Diana was left laughing after Fran Drescher made a joke at the CFDA Awards. Photo / Getty Images
Fran Drescher met her fair share of celebrities during her time on The Nanny but there was one in particular who made a lasting impression.
Appearing on Fox News, Drescher recalled the time she met Princess Diana, calling the meeting a "highlight" in her career.
Drescher and the adored Princess met in New York while attending the CFDA awards.
The TV star said at the time she was on the worst-dressed list while Diana was on the best and after seeing her standing in a crowd of about 100 people she knew she had to meet the well-dressed princess.
The Nanny actress said: "She had a woman next to her who knew every single person in the room. Well, I made a beeline for her because there was no way I was going to be intimidated. I was going to cut through the crowd and get to her because this was probably my only chance. And, like the nanny, I've always been a carpe diem kind of gal. Seize the day."
Diana, the Princess of Wales and British fashion magazine editor Liz Tilberis arrive at the America Awards Gala at the Lincoln Centre in New York in 1995. Photo / Getty Images
I excused and pardoned me all the way through," Drescher added. "When I finally made it to the centre of the room, the woman next to her said, 'This is Fran Drescher. She's on a very popular show right now. Very funny actress.' I shook her hand and said, 'When the history books are written, you will be the heroine of the story.' She looked at me — I could still see her looking at me right now — and then she said, 'Oh, thank you. That's such a kind thing to say.' And I meant every word."
But Drescher wasn't satisfied with the one meeting and when she was performing on stage she found a way to capture Diana's attention.
"I said, 'I met Princess Diana backstage and said to her, 'Princess, we're both on Mr Blackwell's list,'" said Drescher. "And she said to me, 'Yes, but I was on the best-dressed list, and you were on the worst. And I said, 'Yes, but you have Princess Margaret on your list. I have Madonna and Demi [Moore] in mine. You're on the wrong list princess!'
"I saw her sitting on the front row. Bellied over. Laughing and slapping her knee, bouncing her foot. Laughing in a real guttural, genuine way. I could see her now sitting on that front row wearing a blue dress with a pearl choker just laughing. She was so good-humoured and not elitist at all. And she was surprised. She had no idea I was going to say that. But I'm a comedy writer, and I knew the audience would eat that up with a spoon. It's a highlight in my career."
Fran Drescher played Fran Fine on The Nanny. Photo / Getty Images
The brothers put their tension aside as they were all smiles for the service at Kensington Palace, pulling off a green cloth to show the statue of the late Princess with her arms around two children, a boy and a girl, with a third child also in the background.
The brothers released a statement on Instagram that said: "Today, on what would have been our Mother's 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength and character – qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better.
"Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy.
"Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their teams for their outstanding work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all those around the world who keep our mother's memory alive. — Prince William and Prince Harry."
