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During their conversation before the concert, she reportedly asked whether he would be performing “Dirty Diana.” When he explained that he had taken it out of the show in her honor, she encouraged him to put it back in. She wanted him to perform the full concert as intended. With her approval, Jackson restored the song to the setlist and performed it that night.
The exchange revealed something about Diana’s character. She was not fragile or easily offended, as tabloids often suggested. She was, in fact, a devoted music fan. Her favorite band was said to be Duran Duran, but she also loved Jackson’s music. Albums like Thriller and Bad were reportedly part of her personal collection. During the Wembley concert, witnesses later claimed she danced enthusiastically in her seat, while Prince Charles remained more reserved.
In later interviews, Jackson spoke warmly about Diana. He described her as kind and gracious, someone who understood the pressures of public life in a way few others could. According to Jackson, they maintained contact by phone in the years that followed. He claimed that Diana would sometimes call late at night and that they spoke at length about their children and the challenges of media intrusion.
Some of those claims have been questioned by individuals close to Diana, who suggested that palace protocols would have made such direct communication unlikely. Regardless of the exact details, it is clear that Jackson felt a connection to her.
What bound them most closely was their shared experience with the press. Both were pursued relentlessly by paparazzi. Every outfit, every friendship, every facial expression became headline material. Privacy was nearly nonexistent. They lived in a world where even the smallest misstep could explode into scandal.
Jackson’s former bodyguard later suggested that the singer admired Diana deeply, even describing his feelings as love. Whether that sentiment was romantic or simply emotional admiration is open to interpretation. What seems undeniable is that Jackson believed Diana was one of the few people who truly understood the isolation that fame can bring.
Their common ground extended beyond media struggles. Both were committed to humanitarian causes. Diana’s work with AIDS patients, landmine victims, and vulnerable children redefined public expectations of royalty. Jackson, for his part, donated millions to charities worldwide and frequently incorporated messages of unity and compassion into his music.
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