In December 1982, a young Drew Barrymore, then 7 years old and fresh off her role as Gertie in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, had a memorable encounter with Princess Diana. This special moment occurred at the London premiere of the film.
Barrymore, along with her E.T. co-stars Henry Thomas and Robert MacNaughton, and director Steven Spielberg, met Prince Charles and Princess Diana at the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square in London, UK. During this meeting, Drew Barrymore adorably presented Princess Diana with a plush E.T. doll.
Photographs from the event capture the heartwarming scene: a beaming young Drew handing the doll to a smiling Princess Diana, with Steven Spielberg often seen observing the interaction. Barrymore has since spoken about this experience as one of the most special moments of her life, recalling Diana’s kindness and grace.
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” she said of their meeting. “It was the most exciting moment for me to meet a real-life princess. The real-life princess. The people’s princess. Diana was and is and always will be the epitome of a woman that all little girls look up to.”
She praised the late royal as someone who was “so kind and so nice,” adding, “Growing up with her as a princess was such a good example.”
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