Sep 13, 2006, 17:23 GMT
Britain's Princess Diana's dream partner for her famous White House dance was a ballet legend, not John Travolta, her former butler has claimed.
Paul Burrell made the revelation during an interview with America news channel ABC, to promote his new book about his relationship with the princess, 'The Way We Were'.
Diana was famously pictured enjoying a dance with Travolta at a ball hosted by President Regan during a trip to the US in 1985.
However, Burrell says although it was claimed that the late royal's "only wish" when she was invited to the party was to dance with the 'Saturday Night Fever' actor, she was in fact dreaming of taking the hand of fellow guest Mikhail Baryshnikov.
According to Burrell, Diana once said: "John Travolta was a gentleman and absolutely charming but he wasn't my chosen partner."
Diana's former servant says she was so smitten with the Russian-born dancer as a teen that she once waited outside a London theatre to get his autograph.
Unfortunately at the White House ball it had already been prearranged for Diana to dance with Travolta.
Burrell said: "All the time, she wanted to dance with Baryshnikov."
(C) BANG Media International
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