Adorable Video Shows Princess Diana Receiving A Special Gift From 7-Year-Old Drew Barrymore

Something thrilling happened in the dazzling world of Hollywood and royalty in 1982. E.T. the Extra Terrestrial's opening night happened in London, and seven-year-old Drew Barrymore got a chance to meet Princess Diana when she arrived at the theatre to watch this film. When the royals finally arrived, the Empire at Leicester Square was all electrified with thrills and chills. Little Barrymore waited outside, eager but nervous to see the beautiful royal figure, all while clutching the soft E.T. toy that she was going to give Diana as a gift.

The premiere of the film was one of those moments that would be etched in Hollywood history, and Steven Spielberg, Barrymore's cautious 'godfather,' watched over everything from a distance. He had already spoken with Barrymore to ensure she was ready for the big day. According to Nine, he spoke to her with a fatherly concern: "I want to make sure that you don't screw up this very royal, regal moment."

When the moment of truth finally came, Barrymore pulled out the cuddly E.T. toy and handed it over to Princess Diana. The princess, in a strapless ballgown and with her signature hair big and bouncy, was quite warm and gracious as she accepted the gift. The child actor, wide-eyed in wonder, was captured dressed in her long-sleeved ruffled dress and gloves beside Princess Diana, simply poised in elegance. Her smile, as big as the moon, reflected the unadulterated joy that only a small child can have when meeting royalty.

To Barrymore, it all seemed surreal. "It was the most exciting moment for me to meet a real-life princess," she would later recount. Years later, on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Barrymore would revisit that unforgettable day once again. "Diana was and is and will always be the epitome of a woman that all little girls look up to," she said, still brimming with admiration decades from the encounter.

At this time, Princess Diana was fast becoming an international icon of tremendous sympathy and relatability. Interestingly enough, King Charles had also been in attendance at the premiere. Another person involved in the E.T. Series was Robert MacNaughton, who remembered yet another fond moment with Charles: "He was very gracious and he said, 'I laughed so much I cried', to me and I was like, 'Aw. That's Good.'"

However, for Barrymore, it was more than a celebrity encounter; it was this transcendental moment that stayed with her forever. She recalled, even decades later in her book Wildflower in 2015, that she tried hard to keep her "jaw off the floor and my eyes in my head" during her meeting with Diana. In 2024, Barrymore mentioned on her talk show that Diana truly was 'personable' and actually 'present,' showing what made the princess so special.