Princess Diana Had the Most Shocking Reaction to That NSFW 'When Harry Met Sally' Scene
She was wedged between Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal at the premiere.
It's funny to imagine what actors might be thinking and feeling when their loved ones watch their explicit movie scenes on the big screen. Having your parents in the audience is likely enough to make your palms sweat and your face contort into a cringe, but what about when literal royalty are in attendance? This was the case for Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan at the November 1989 premiere of When Harry Met Sally. Wedged right in between them was none other than Princess Diana—and they got to experience her reaction to that deli scene in real time.
The OG SNL comedian appeared on The View yesterday to promote his new project Before. While he had plenty to say about the upcoming series, he also made time to divulge a story from the past. He recalled his star-struck experience of not only meeting Diana but sitting beside her during the '80s screening.
"She’s on my left and Meg is on her left. So it’s me, Rob [Reiner], Princess [Diana] and then Meg. So we sit down together in the balcony in the theater. And the trumpets are blaring as we walk in, which happens in every movie theater," Crystal explained with a laugh.
He remembered Ryan "leaning in front like, ‘Do you believe who she is?’ It’s like, crazy."
It was all pretty safe romcom material until they got to the iconic scene in which Ryan's character, Sally, fakes an orgasm very loudly to prove a point to Crystal's character, Harry.
"The deli scene happens, and the whole audience below us is now looking back to see how the princess is gonna react to Meg faking the orgasm," Crystal said, admitting that he was not ready for what ensued.
"And then she starts laughing. A big laugh," Crystal remembered, imitating a low, bark-like laugh. "It's the kind of laugh, that if we were dating, I wouldn't see her again. I'd go, 'The laugh! She's beautiful, but the laugh,'" he said.
He concluded, "It was a spectacular evening, and so great to meet her."