The three rules suitors had to follow if they wanted to dance with Princess Diana

Those who wanted to dance with the former Princess of Wales had to meet certain criteria which included being over six feet tall. Princess Diana had three specific criteria those she danced with had to meet, a new book has claimed. The late Princess of Wales, who was 5ft10 inches tall, wanted her dance partners to be at least six foot one inch tall, the former editor of People magazine has said.

Not only this but they also had to be married and be “good dancers”, Landon Jones has claimed. The editor of the popular magazine, of which Diana appeared on the cover a staggering 58 times, had a brief friendship with the royal. Although the 80-year-old author of the new book Celebrity Nation said he did not get to dance with her herself as he did not meet all the criteria on her list.

The former editor was being interviewed on the latest episode of the To Di For Daily podcast by royal commentator Kinsey Schofield about his new book where he discusses the likes of the former Princess of Wales and activist Malcolm X. Ms Schofield, speaking on the episode released on June 24 about Mr Jones’s book, recounted Diana’s three rules. She said: “You had to be married, you had to be a good dancer, and you had to be taller than six foot one.”

Mr Jones first met with Diana at Kensington Palace, describing the late Princess as both “flirtatious yet professional”. Mr Jones explained that he met the Princess as they were holding a dinner in Chicago, Illinois, for charity which was a “great success”. Although he was her “dinner partner” and got to sit next to her, he did not accompany her to the dancefloor. He said: “I was two out of three but I’m not six foot. Some other guy danced with her.”

While he might have missed out on the dancing, he said he very much enjoyed sitting next to her. Mr Jones said Diana was a “world-class small talker”, adding that she could talk to “anybody” and make you feel as if you knew her personally. The pair first met when he went to visit her at Kensington Palace, where she lived until her death in 1997, as he wanted to work with her for charity, about which he said she “cared deeply”.

He continued: “We had asked to see her and interview her because we wanted to invite her to participate in a charity event in Chicago where we thought people could raise money for charity and Diana did too.” Although he had been filled in on the royal protocols, Mr Jones said he “blew” them all as he forgot to call her “Your Highness”, instead simply asking how she was, and forgetting to bow. But he said Diana was “completely charming”. He thought she was “cool”, “almost flirtatious” and “giggly” but also “smart” and “very decent”. Mr Jones added: “She cared deeply about her charities.”