Behind the scenes of Diana and Michael Jackson’s connection

Michael recalled feeling incredibly nervous before shaking hands with Diana—a tension you can almost sense in the photos from that day. There was a reason their first encounter felt a bit awkward and tentative.

This was largely because the superstar had decided to remove the song “Dirty Diana” from the concert setlist, worried it might upset her. The song, which is about a rock groupie, seemed inappropriate to perform with the female royal in attendance, or so he thought.

“I took it out of the show in honor of Her Royal Highness,” Jackson told Barbara Walters in 1997.

Diana’s reaction to meeting Michael Jackson

But the move didn’t sit so well with Diana.

Diana asked Michael if he was going to perform “Dirty Diana” during the meet-and-greet before the show. He replied that he had removed it from the setlist because of her presence. However, she insisted that he perform it, encouraging him to go ahead and sing the song. Ultimately, Michael performed the song.

Michael Jackson was clearly a big fan of Diana and held a great deal of respect for her.

”I thought the princess was just wonderful,” Jackson told reporters at the time.

Knowing how much she adored her sons, Michael also gifted her two miniature tour jackets for her children, Princes William and Harry.

Diana, an avid pop music fan, was said to have danced during the whole concert while Prince Charles remained seated.

Was Michael Jackson in love with Diana?

What many might not have anticipated was that their first encounter in 1988 would ignite the start of an incredibly powerful bond.