Princess Diana Once Helped Barbra Streisand Avoid a Fashion Faux Pas at a Movie Premiere
Streisand opened up about her encounter with Diana—and the then-Prince Charles—in her new memoir.


Women supporting women is a beautiful thing—and sometimes, we all need someone to have our back, even if we’re, you know, Barbra Streisand.
In her new memoir, My Name is Barbra, Streisand revealed a time when Princess Diana literally covered her backside: the then-Princess of Wales helped the legendary entertainer avoid a near wardrobe malfunction while the two were out at the London premiere of The Prince of Tides in 1992, wrote Streisand, who both starred in and directed the film. (The premiere was held as a benefit for the AIDS Crisis Trust, and Streisand said she was “impressed” with how hands-on Diana was “with her outreach in hospitals to destigmatize HIV/AIDS,” People reports.)
Streisand wrote that Diana was just as lovely in person, and they sat together during the film screening at Leicester Square. As she stood, Diana looked out for the singer and actress: “The zipper on my skirt had come down a bit as I was sitting, and she noticed and quickly started to zip it up for me as I got to my feet,” Streisand wrote. “When I finally sat down, Diana turned to me and asked, ‘Do you know how wonderful you are?’”
To that, Streisand added, to Diana’s question, “Did I know it now? I’m not sure…maybe a little. I thought Diana was wonderful. I wonder if she knew how wonderful she was.”
Diana wasn’t Streisand’s only royal encounter; in fact, had the chips fallen a bit differently, Streisand might have called herself the Princess of Wales. The then-Prince Charles reportedly had a crush on Streisand prior to marrying Diana in 1981, and The Times reported in July 2021 that Charles said he found Streisand “dazzling” as a young man.
“It was so sweet,” Streisand said of the “special memories” Charles had shared. The two apparently met in 1974, when Charles was serving in the Royal Navy. His service brought him to San Diego, California, where Streisand was working at the time.
“He asked to meet me,” she said. “So, he came to the recording studio. I offered him a sip of tea and I thought, ‘They didn’t have to test me for poison or something? No.’”
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
She continued, “The future king of England actually drank from my cup, which was apparently unprecedented. When the British press reported on this, they turned it into the equivalent of an international incident.”
From there, “we became friends, and I loved spending some time at Highgrove [Charles’ country home] for a weekend fundraiser and going through his gardens,” Streisand said. This was all happening “before he met Diana,” she added, but “I had a very funny line onstage when he came to see [my] show. I said, ‘You know, if I played by cards right, I could have wound up being the first Jewish princess!’”
Per Insider, Streisand said they regularly send birthday cards and presents to one another. (Hope she has his in the mail—his 75th birthday is on Tuesday.)

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
The Business of Beauty: How Science-Driven Innovation Drives Growth and Success
Panelists dished on everything AI, TikTok, Clinique's groundbreaking formulas, and what ingredients are *actually* benefiting the skin.
-
Bella Hadid Wears a Piece of Cannes History—Just Not in Cannes
She can take her vintage trove wherever she wants.
-
What to Know About 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Star Demi Engemann, From Her Family to Her Feuds
The #MomTok influencer is at the center of a lot of season 2's drama.
-
Princess Diana's Brother Reveals that Losing Her 28 Years Ago Was Like Having an "Amputation"
"I would think I must ring her and tell her something...and you just realize of course that’s not going to happen,"
-
Prince William Wants Future King Prince George to Follow in Princess Diana's Footsteps in One Touching Way
The Prince of Wales heard how one community is especially "proud" of his late mother.
-
Princess Kate Looks to Princess Diana's Mistakes With the Press and Gives Them "Nothing," Per Royal Author
"Diana’s life is more reminiscent to me of a pop star’s life."
-
Princess Diana's Blue Cannes Gown Isn't the Only French Girl Dress She Wore to the Film Festival 38 Years Ago
It's right on trend for 2025.
-
Top Designer Once Claimed Princess Diana "Ruined" Its "Credibility" by Shopping There
Diana was dubbed "a dreary fashion victim," per the new book 'Dianaworld.'
-
Why Princess Diana Was Allegedly "Tricky" and "Seductive" When It Came to the Paparazzi
A royal expert has suggested Diana was "playing a double game" with the press.
-
Why a "Sweet" Photograph of Princess Diana and David Bowie Caused So Much Controversy for the Royal Family
"My agent got a call from the palace, saying, 'Don't use the pictures.'"
-
The Surprising Revelation Princess Diana Made Just Before Her Death About Who "Ruined" Her Marriage to King Charles
"She said to me just before she died, it wasn't Camilla."