Greg Ritchie, the former Australia batsman, speaking on the Keeping it Real podcast, recalled a hilarious incident from Australia’s tour of England in 1985 when the team met Princess Diana.
The episode, which involves Ritchie’s former teammate Wayne Phillips, took place at the Gloucestershire cricket club. “England ‘85 was some of the funniest moments I’ve ever had in my life and he (Phillips) was the instigator for all of it,” he said.
“We had this magnificent dinner at the Gloucester cricket club, of which Lady Diana was a patron. She was at the dinner, 500 people at the dinner and the Australian cricket team were given the opportunity for what’s called an audience with her, in a backroom, prior to the commencement of the dinner. We were told to stand in small groups of twos and threes and she would be taken around with Allan Border the captain and he would introduce her to us in very random conversations. We were told to watch our Ps and Qs.
“So Philips and I get over in a corner somewhere, having a few beers. And you can see that Border was just avoiding us because he was obviously scared, he knew we were probably going to play up. We were the last one to come over, and he said, ‘Mr Greg Ritchie and Wayne Phillips’, and I said, ‘Very well Highness, nice to meet you.’
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The Australia squad ahead of the 1985 Ashes series at Lord’s[/caption]
“She had been photographed that week coming out of a mother care store, which is a baby store we find in England, in Bath. And the paparazzi were following her, as they did all along, right till the end as we unfortunately know. And there was a photograph in the paper that week with a big ‘Why is Princess Diana in mother care?’ The rumours were out that she was pregnant with her eldest boy, Prince William.”
“Border comes over with Lady Diana … and I didn’t say anything, just ‘Nice to meet you’. And Flipper [Phillips] starts with, ‘Nice photo in the paper during the weekend.’ And Border turned red, he’s behind her shaking his head, and she just sort of looked and said, ‘It’s very difficult, they have been following me for some time.’ And Flipper goes, ‘It’s terrible … and I know that shop in Bath that you were in.’ And she said ‘Is that right?’ And he goes, ‘Yeah, my missus was in there last week, looking for some clothes, but she didn’t get a photo taken like you. So when are you due?’
“Oh Jesus, I thought we’re going to get f****d … Even I gasped, and Border went the colour of a cricket ball. She burst into laughter and turned around to Border, and said, ‘These two are dangerous, I’m going to get away from them.’ And he said, ‘Absolutely, let’s go.’ He got away, turned back and he glared at us. I was literally on the ground laughing, and Phillips was like, ‘What, what, what, what?’”
