Did Phil Donahue Have To ‘Fight Off’ Guys To Dance With Late Princess Diana? Here’s What Talk Show Host’s Wife Revealed

As a lifestyle expert with a deep appreciation for the history of television, I find myself deeply moved by the story of Phil Donahue and his unique encounter with Princess Diana. It is a testament to the power of human connection that transcends borders, titles, and societal norms.


Phil Donahue, who sadly passed away on August 18, reminisced about one of his memorable encounters with the late Princess Diana during an interview with Andy Cohen in 2020. In this chat, he was joined by his wife, Marlo Thomas, and they played a game where they discussed the number of celebrities they had met throughout their careers. During the conversation, Donahue humorously mentioned that he had to compete with other men to have a dance with Princess Diana when she was still the Princess of Wales.

During their chat with Cohen, Thomas revealed an interesting incident from a charity event they both attended in 1997. Specifically, he mentioned that someone had proposed a dance challenge where his wife would be invited to dance with Princess Diana – but under certain specified terms.

In simpler terms, the widow of the late talk show host disclosed the three guidelines they had to adhere to when interacting with Princess Diana. She stated, “They told us, ‘A man must dance with Princess Diana, and here are the three conditions.'”

She continued by stating, “For the role, A: he must be married, B: she must be in the room, C: his wife must be present, and D: he needs to be at least 6 feet tall. So I informed Phil about it, and he responded, ‘I’m not comfortable with that,’ as Phil is quite reserved and this aspect of his personality often goes unnoticed. However, he did end up complying.”

While Thomas spoke, he shared that during the dance, the duo hit it off nicely, exchanging conversation and laughter. He added that he was quite taken by the princess’s kind gesture. Later, Donahue mentioned on the Drew Barrymore show that he had never taken as many photos as he did when he met the former royal family member.

On that particular special occasion, Donahue donned a black tuxedo and a bowtie. In contrast, Lady Diana arrived in a beautiful blue dress and adorned with pearls. Later, the TV personality referred to Lady Diana as “my dance partner.”

Donahue was one of the prominent personalities on the Oprah Winfrey Show. 

In her Instagram post, Oprah Winfrey acknowledged the late TV host, Phil Donahue, by saying, “Phil Donahue paved the way for The Oprah Show. He showed that daytime talk and female audiences deserved respect.” She added, “He was a trailblazer. I’m grateful I had the chance to thank him for it. Farewell, Phil.”

The late Phil Donahue is survived by his wife, sister, children, and grandchildren. 

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2024-08-22 18:10