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After all the pomp and circumstance surrounding their April 2011 wedding, Prince William and Kate Middleton let their hair down for their wedding reception. The intimate affair was where the couple could let their personalities shine. And it was there that William and Kate performed a jaw-dropping dance to an iconic 1970s hit tune.

Kate Middleton and Prince William channeled iconic ‘Grease’ characters at their wedding

In Robert Jobson’s book Catherine, The Princess of Wales, the author discussed how the royal family let their hair down during Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding reception. He shared how the couple surprised their guests by dancing to an iconic 1970s movie tune.

Jobson writes that the couple danced and mouthed the words to the song “You’re the One that I Want.” The tune was a smash hit in the movie musical Grease starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John.

Their performance was reportedly a huge success. Family and friends were delighted with the couple’s overwhelming joy. The Mirror cited one wedding guest who remarked, “The Grease number brought the house down.”

“They stood holding hands in the ­middle of the dance floor, grinning, and then suddenly, the opening bars of the song came booming out. The reaction was just brilliant. Everyone started clapping to the music,” the wedding guest continued.

“Wills and Kate began dancing around, pointing at each other and mouthing the words. It was ­hilarious. When the song finished, they ended up in each other’s arms with massive smiles on their faces,” their statement concluded.

The John Travolta tune has a connection to William’s mother, Princess Diana

Although John Travolta was not invited to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, the song evoked a sweet memory for those who recall when the actor and Princess Diana shared a historic moment. The princess, a fan of the actor, took a memorable twirl on the dance floor to songs connected to Travolta.

In an interview with Esquire Mexico in April 2021, John Travolta detailed precisely how the dance came about. “{Dancing] was the easy part, but introducing myself to Diana in the proper way, conveying assurance, and asking her to be my dance partner was a complicated mission,” he explained.

“The whole stage is like a dream. I go up to her, touch her on the shoulder, and ask her to dance. She turns around, and when she sees me, she displays that captivating smile, somewhat sad, and accepts my invitation,” the actor continued.

The pair danced to Travolta’s biggest hits from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Ironically, the pair also danced to “You’re The One That I Want” before another Hollywood star, Tom Selleck, cut into their performance for a waltz with Diana.

Prince William and Kate Middleton had 2 very different receptions at Buckingham Palace

After a day filled with traditional royal pomp and circumstance, Prince William and Kate Middleton were ready to let their hair down with 300 of their closest family members and friends. This evening event followed a formal wedding reception hosted by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace.

Roughly 650 guests gathered at Buckingham Place for a celebratory reception following the couple’s wedding ceremony. The guests dined on Cornish crab salad and quail eggs and enjoyed fine champagne. Two wedding cakes were served for dessert: a traditional fruit cake and a chocolate biscuit cake.

Prince William and Kate Middleton then jetted off to vacation in the Seychelles. Their honeymoon was estimated to cost $1 million.

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