Inside Michael Jackson’s Close Friendship With Princess Diana - Page 5 of 7

Though they would only meet in person once during their lifetimes, their friendship endured until Diana’s death on August 31, 1997, according to Jackson. On hearing the news of her passing, Jackson told Walters he fell down in grief and cried. In shock, Jackson postponed a scheduled performance of his HIStory tour. When he did return to the stage, he dedicated the performance to Diana. “In my heart, I was saying, ‘I love you, Diana. Shine. And shine on forever, because you are the true princess of the people.’”