Billy Crystal Reveals Princess Diana's Reaction to Meg Ryan's NSFW Scene at Premiere of 'When Harry Met Sally'

The actor recalled how "the whole audience" was watching to see what Diana thought of the famous deli scene.

Princess Diana wearing a red dress shaking hands with Billy Crystal as Meg Ryan looks on at the 'When Harry Met Sally' premiere
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Kristin Contino
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Princess Diana met everyone from George Michael to John Travolta before her tragic 1997 death, but one star you wouldn't necessarily connect to Diana is Billy Crystal. On Wednesday, Oct. 23, the actor appeared on The View to promote his latest project, Before, and during his interview with the show's co-hosts, he revealed a surprising (and hilarious) story about the late Princess of Wales.

In a clip the show shared on X, Crystal shared that Diana attended the November 1989 premiere of When Harry Met Sally in London, and he—along with co-star Meg Ryan—was not only able to meet the royal, but actually sat next to her during the 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 said with a laugh. He remembered Ryan "leaning in front like, ‘Do you believe who she is?’ It’s like, crazy."

If you've ever seen the classic rom-com (and if you haven't, do so immediately), you're familiar with the iconic scene when Ryan's character fakes an orgasm, and that's where the best part of Crystal's tale comes in.

Princess Diana wearing a red evening gown talking to Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan at the premiere of 'When Harry Met Sally.'

Diana shimmered in a red evening gown while chatting to Ryan and Crystal at the 1989 premiere of When Harry Met Sally.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"And then 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," the actor shared. While Crystal was curious how she'd take Ryan's blush-inducing performance, he wasn't quite ready for what happened.

"And then she starts laughing. A big laugh," Crystal recalled, breaking out into a low, barking laugh that you definitely would not expect to come from Princess Diana. "It's the kind of laugh, that if we were dating, I wouldn't see her again," he admitted.

"I'd go, 'The laugh! She's beautiful, but the laugh,'" Crystal told the ladies of The View. Although he apparently would've turned down a date, the City Slickers star said the princess was "unbelievable."

"It was a spectacular evening. And so great to meet her," he concluded.

Kristin Contino
Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.

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