Every rumour about Princess Diana's 'relationship' with Michael Jackson: Marriage 'plans', Charles's envy and 'staying up all night' together
It seemed their connection was unique
Princess Diana and Michael Jackson reportedly shared a surprisingly close relationship. For years, rumours have swirled about their infamous meeting and Michael’s choice to not perform Dirty Diana as the Princess of Wales watched him from the audience – much to her alleged disappointment.
However, there has often been speculation about whether their friendship continued. There has even been claims that the King of Pop was in love with The People’s Princess.
Here is everything we know about their supposed connection…
Princess Diana and Michael Jackson’s meeting
The unexpected duo met on July 16, in 1988, when Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles attended Wembley Stadium to watch Michael on his Bad tour.
At the time, Michael, who did a lot of humanitarian work, had donated a whopping £150,000 to the Prince’s Trust charity and a further £100,000 to London’s Great Ormand Street Hospital.
Princess Diana was already said to be a fan of Michael’s music and was even said to have repeatedly listened to Michael’s Thriller and Bad albums.
The trio met backstage and their meeting was immortalised in famous shots and footage where Michael and Diana were all smiles as they spoke and giggled with each other.
Why Michael Jackson did not wish to perform Dirty Diana for Princess Diana
Michael had removed the song Dirty Diana from his setlist, as he felt it was inappropriate to perform a song with such a title, with lyrics describing a groupie, in front of the Princess of Wales who shared the same name.
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“I took it out of the show in honor of Her Royal Highness,” Jackson told Barbara Walters in 1997. “Are you going to do Dirty Diana?” he said Princess Diana asked him.”I said, ‘No, I took it out of the show because of you.’ She said, ‘No! I want you to do it. Do it. Do the song.'”
Princess Diana was said to have danced throughout the concert. Meanwhile, Prince Charles was said to have remained firmly in his seat.
Michael Jackson even gifted Diana and Charles tour jackets for their sons, William and Harry.
Over the years, Diana and Michael were said to have developed a strong friendship, which allegedly defied the distances between them.”
We were very close,” Jackson told German media in 1999. “She was extremely close by phone… I was still married to Lisa Marie [Presley]. Diana woke me up usually late at night… mostly after three in the morning! And then she held me for hours on the telephone. She talked about children, the press.”
Michael’s former bodyguard, Matt Fiddes, could attest to these claims. He even believed Michael had fallen in love with Diana.
Michael Jackson was “in love” with Princess Diana
He told the Daily Star in 2017 that Michael felt Princess Diana was the only person who could fully understand the feeling of being hounded like the media like he had experienced.
It seemed Michael’s feelings for Diana blossomed into something romantic. He allegedly hoped that one day they could be wed.
In a taped conversation between Jackson and onetime friend and confidante Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, he said of Diana: “I loved her very much. She was my type, for sure.”
Matt Fiddes also claimed that Michael said to him: “Michael told me he loved her. And he was in love with her, and he wanted to marry her. He told me she was his ideal wife. He felt an immediate bond with her as soon as they met. They were both very shy individuals and he loved her. He wanted to marry her.”
According to Michael, Charles was jealous of their connection.
As the footage of Diana and Michael’s meeting has circulated over the years, many observers have claimed that the now king seemed pushed out of the picture.
All the while, Michael and Diana’s chemistry appeared to bubble.
Michael’s grief after Diana’s death
Michael was said to be devastated following Princess Diana’s tragic death on August 31 in 1997. He even cancelled several dates of his HIStory tour to process the news.
Jackson told Barbara Walters that when he was told of Princess Diana’s passing he fell down and cried.
When he did perform again, he said of his feelings during the moment: “In my heart, I was saying, ‘I love you, Diana. Shine. And shine on forever. Because you are the true princess of the people.”
Michael was not present at Princess Diana’s funeral, However, he did attend a memorial in Los Angeles in honour of her death. At the time, he told media he did so because of his “love” for her.
In 2003, Michael spoke of Diana, describing her as one of the “sweetest people”.
He also claimed they would often speak on the phone late at night and cry on each other’s shoulders.
As Michael is depicted in a namesake biopic by his nephew Jaafar Jackson, directed by Antoine Fuqua, viewers are again looking to his personal life.
Diana and Michael’s relationship has certainly intrigued both royal and music fans for decades.
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