The son of a man who danced with Princess Diana during her visit to a High Wycombe community centre more than 20 years ago has reflected on the iconic moment.

Last week the Bucks Free Press reported the new plans to transform the spot where the pair danced in the Reggie Goves Centre, Paul’s Row, into a Club Havana restaurant and nightclub.

In light of the proposals High Wycombe man, Brian Bristow, 70, has reflected on the moment his father, Charles Bristow, asked the princess to dance during her visit to the community centre’s grand opening ceremony in 1989.

Keen dancer Charlie, who passed away in 2012, ran tea dances from the community centre, and boldly asked the princess for a dance during the historic visit.

The bold move sparked a global sensation, with newspapers around the world picking up the news.

Brian, of Piddington Village, said: “My dad was very forward in his decisions. If he said he was going to do something he always went and did it.

“And so he went and asked her ‘may I have a dance’ and she said ‘yes’ to his surprise. She was a little bit unstable on her feet. She was a bit shocked but she was all for it. She was very good, they talked.

“It went all around the world. We got calls from friends in the states to say they had seen dad in their papers.”

This week managing director of Club Havana, Michael Kretay, assured concerned residents the plaque commemorating the princess's visit will remain in place, and part of the building will still be rented out to community groups.

World War Two veteran Charles lived in Lane End for his entire life, joined the army in 1939 and landed in Dunkirk on the same day the Nazis invaded Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Brian added: “I knew it happened straight away. Someone rang me and said he had danced with the princess and I thought ‘oh god’, but that was dad.

“He had a very likeable presence about him and if someone said no he wouldn’t take offence. He didn’t make a big deal of it, he never said ‘look at me I danced with the princess’.

“It is a bit sad about the Reggie Goves Centre. It has been empty for years so I wasn’t completely surprised to see a club is going there.”