How Princess Diana Sparked a Rivalry Between Two Hollywood Icons

Princess Diana had the power to make people feel.

At a dinner party in the '90s hosted by Elton John, the People's Princess had two Hollywood legends vying for her attention.

In the new book Dianaworld: An Obsession, out now, a casual night allegedly turned into a full-blown standoff between Richard Gere and Sylvester Stallone over Princess Diana.

According to the "Rocket Man" singer, the "Diana effect" nearly had the two actors throwing punches.

Stallone arrived at the bash "with the express intention of picking Diana up" and became enraged after witnessing her "in rapt conversation" with Gere.

At some point in the evening, John’s husband, David Furnish, stumbled upon Stallone and Gere "squaring up to each other, apparently about to settle their differences over Diana by having a fist-fight."

The Rocky star apparently said he would have skipped the party if he knew that "Prince f--king Charming [Gere] was gonna be here."

Len Trievnor, Getty Images

Princess Diana, of course, handled the confrontation with grace and poise.

The Princess of Wales married then-Prince Charles in 1981, before divorcing in 1996. Princess Diana died in 1997 at age 36 following a car accident in Paris.

John rewrote a version of "Candle in the Wind" after Princess Diana's death as a tribute.