Sequins, fedoras, and an aura of mystery that was impossible to ignore. Michael Jackson, born in August 1958 in Gary, Indiana, evolved from the lead vocalist of a childhood band with his brothers (The Jackson 5 and later, The Jacksons) to become the most significant musician of the closing decades of the last century.
Perhaps even that title falls short; following the release of the film Michael, where his nephew Jaafar, son of Jermaine, portrays the early years of his stellar career, the King of Pop has become the first artist to land in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 across six different decades. It is a stunning milestone that reinforces the theory of the immortality of a performer turned legend.
There was a time when everyone wanted to be like Michael Jackson. Military jackets sold out in seconds, loafers paired with white socks became a major trend, and no one was immune to his charm. Not even royalty. And no, we aren’t just talking about the world-famous meeting between the King of Pop and Lady Di (at the time, the Princess of Wales), who attended one of the Bad World Tour concerts in London alongside the current King Charles III. It is said that, out of respect for Diana, he removed his hit “Dirty Diana” from the setlist.
© Princess Diana ArchiveThe King of Pop found a muse for his music in another European princess. A very young Stéphanie of Monaco, the youngest daughter of Rainier III and Grace Kelly, was only 23 years old when she became the centerpiece of one of his biggest hits, “In the Closet.”
The track belongs to the fourth album of his solo era, Dangerous, released in 1988, when he moved away from his family to fulfill his dream of becoming the greatest of all time. However, she did so incognito, making this collaboration one of the Princess’s best-kept secrets.
© Stephane Cardinale – CorbisFor years, the identity behind the magnetic voice intertwined with Michael’s remained a secret. Stéphanie, faithful to her sense of discretion, recorded her parts in a single day and promised never to speak of what happened.
© ALAIN FULCONISFans speculated about who owned the words shared with the performer throughout “In the Closet” until, five years later, Jackson himself revealed who had lent her voice to the song.
A couple of years before this unexpected collaboration took place, in 1986, Stéphanie of Monaco surprised everyone by releasing her first song, “Comme un ouragan” (“Like a Hurricane”).
© Eric RobertFollowing that success, the Princess expressed her desire to one day serve as the opening act for the King of Pop, specifically referring to his tour stop in France during the same tour where he met Lady Di. It was a goal she couldn’t achieve due to the negative reaction from Michael Jackson’s millions of fans.
In 1993, they met again in Monaco for the World Music Awards, where Stéphanie presented him with an award. This scene was repeated three years later, in 1996. “I have the pleasure of giving a special award to the man who created the best-selling album of all time. Ladies and gentlemen, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson!” she said on stage.
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