Royal Commentator Victoria Arbiter Recounts First Meeting With Princess Diana Years Ago

Princess Diana left a huge impact on thousands of people’s lives, including Victoria Arbiter, an author and royal commentator for 9Honey.

In her new piece, Arbiter recounted the time she met the Princess of Wales amid the borderline hysteria surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during their recent overseas tour of Australia.

When Arbiter was 12 years old, her ballet school in England was preparing to see the West End musical “Cats” in London when her dad arrived to pick her up. The royal commentator was asked to change into her smartest clothes to celebrate her dad’s birthday at Kensington Palace.

After arriving at the palace, Arbiter’s dad rang the bell and Princess Diana opened the door.

“She was mind-bogglingly beautiful, and as I gazed at her loveliness, my follow-up thought was, ‘I’m dressed like a man.’ I was in my early teens and far from hip,” she wrote.

Princess Diana ushered Arbiter, her dad, stepmom, and grandmother into her home.

“The doors of the dining room opened. It was time for lunch. Five tables, each beautifully laid for five, had been set up. Tied to each of the chairs were helium balloons emblazoned with birthday messages. I sat opposite Diana and my family completed our table,” she shared.

Arbiter said that missing “Cats” was definitely worth it if it meant meeting the Princess of Wales for the first time.

“It was an extraordinary day in many ways and one for which I will always be grateful. I never could have imagined my future employment would be so royal-centric, but thanks to Diana I was fortunate enough to experience royalty at its finest,” she wrote.

In related news, Arbiter talked about her job as a royal commentator and said that she is aware that a new generation of royals now inhabits Kensington Palace. The monarchy also continues to adapt and evolve the same way it has done for the past decades, but Princess Diana will always be the Queen of People’s Hearts for the commentator and her fans.