Imagine getting ready to sing a hit song, only to realize the most famous royal in the world is sitting in your audience—and the song happens to share her name.
That is exactly the dilemma Michael Jackson faced on July 16, 1988, right before taking the stage at Wembley Stadium in London.
Back in April 1988, Michael released “Dirty Diana.” It was a heavy rock song featuring a famous guitar solo by Steve Stevens, the guitarist for Billy Idol. Many listeners wondered who the song was about. Some thought of Diana Ross, while others wondered about Princess Diana. But Michael cleared up the rumors: the song was not about Princess Diana at all.
Instead, he wrote it about groupies—the pushy fans who follow famous touring musicians around. Michael explained that having grown up in the music industry, he had seen these situations his whole life.
The Story Behind Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana”
By the summer of 1988, the track was a massive hit. On July 2, 1988, it landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was a record-breaking moment, making Bad the first album in history to produce five No. 1 singles in the US. At the same time, the song was sitting comfortably at No. 4 on the UK singles chart.
However, when Michael found out that Princess Diana and Prince Charles were attending his sold-out London show of 72,000 people, he got nervous. Even though the song was fictional, he worried that singing “Dirty Diana” in front of the Princess of Wales might embarrass her or seem rude. Wanting to show respect, Michael decided to cut the track from his setlist.
Michael Talks Princess Diana, Dirty Diana, And Visits To Children’s Hospitals
But here’s the fun part: before the show started, Michael met Princess Diana backstage. He gave charitable donations to the Prince’s Trust and Great Ormond Street Hospital, along with miniature custom Bad tour jackets for Princes William and Harry. But during their chat, Princess Diana asked a question that caught him completely off guard: “Are you gonna do Dirty Diana?”
Michael explained that he took the song out of the show out of respect for her. To his complete surprise, Princess Diana cheered, “No! I want you to do it… do the song.” She even shared that it was actually one of her favorite songs.
Because of her request, Michael put the song right back into the show. He performed it live that night right after “Smooth Criminal,” creating an unforgettable moment captured in the Wembley concert recording.