Devastation and Immediate Reactions
According to reports from The Express and other contemporary sources, Jackson was overwhelmed with grief upon hearing the news. He reportedly fainted and required smelling salts to recover when he learned of Diana’s death. The impact was so profound that he postponed a scheduled HIStory tour concert in Belgium, where he had been set to perform in front of an audience of 60,000 people.
Jackson later described the devastation he felt: the loss of a friend who truly understood the challenges of living under relentless media scrutiny was, in his words, “a blow I could not have prepared for.”
Through this tribute, Jackson publicly acknowledged the personal connection they shared, elevating Diana’s memory beyond public headlines and emphasizing her humanity.
Memorial Attendance and Public Statements
Though Jackson did not attend Diana’s funeral in London, he participated in a memorial service in Los Angeles, a decision that allowed him to honor her privately while maintaining security and public order. Dressed in his signature black fedora, black attire, and a red armband, Jackson was accompanied by a team of bodyguards. He joined hundreds of other mourners, including friends and colleagues, paying his respects and publicly expressing his affection for Diana.
At the memorial, Jackson told reporters, “I wanted to be here to honor my friend who is no longer here… I love her.” These remarks, along with his visible grief, demonstrated the sincerity of his feelings and the strength of their bond.
Continued Reflections on Their Relationship
Even years after Diana’s death, Jackson spoke fondly of their friendship. In 2003, he described Diana as “one of the sweetest people I’ve ever known, because we could relate to each other.” He emphasized the shared understanding of media intrusion, noting that both had been relentlessly pursued and often misrepresented in tabloids.
“We shared something in common, with the press. I don’t think they hounded anyone more than her and myself,” Jackson said. “And we had a relationship, where we would call each other late at night… just cry on each other’s shoulders, how hard and difficult and how mean the tabloids can be.”
Jackson’s reflections reveal that their connection extended far beyond casual friendship. It was built on mutual empathy, respect, and shared experiences of isolation amid fame.
Speculations and Reports on Emotional Intimacy
While some aspects of their relationship, such as the late-night phone calls, have been subjects of speculation, accounts from Jackson’s close aides, including his former bodyguard Matt Fiddes, suggest that the singer felt deeply for Diana.
Fiddes stated that Jackson believed Diana was uniquely capable of understanding “his life in terms of not being able to go anywhere, and the media stories that got out of hand… the intrusion into the private life, having no privacy whatsoever, the children being hounded.”
Shared Humanitarian Values
One of the key aspects of their connection was a shared commitment to charitable causes and humanitarian work. Diana had long been an advocate for children’s hospitals, HIV/AIDS awareness, and numerous other social causes.
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