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Princess Diana wasn’t shy about showing her appreciation for her favorite singer’s assets during a flirty interaction at a London gym. She wolf-whisted at Simon LeBon, her favorite singer, and new MBE inductee before declaring he had “nice legs” and she would “recognize that bum anywhere.”

Simon LeBon and Princess Diana first met in 1983

Princess Diana was a great fan of Duran Duran. She subsequently met them at the 1983 Prince’s Trust concert and in 1985 at the premiere of the James Bond movie A View to a Kill.  Moreover, the band wrote the title song for the film series’ 14th installment.

LeBon shared recollections of a flirty interaction with Diana in an interview with the Times of London. He explained he was working out at the gym when Diana made him red-faced.

He explained, “She and I used to go to the same fitness club, Chelsea Harbour in London. One day I was on the running machine. I jumped off because one of my shoelaces had come undone. She wolf-whistled at me across the room, and yelled, like a brickie.”

“‘Nice legs! I’d recognize that bum anywhere!’ she declared. LeBon claimed, “I was quite taken aback, actually, and quietly got back on the machine with a red face.”

Around forty years later, LeBon would stand before her son, Prince William, to be inducted as a Member of the Order of the British Empire. The Prince of Wales stood before Duran Duran’s lead singer and songwriter to pin the medal on him on Nov. 12, 2024.

Prince William awarded Simon Le Bon the royal title at Windsor Castle

Simon LeBon was awarded at MBE by Prince William at Windsor Castle
Simon LeBon was awarded at MBE by Prince William at Windsor Castle | Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images

In a Windsor Castle ceremony, Prince William stood before Princess Diana’s favorite singer, Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon, and pinned an MBE to his chest. The award was given to Le Bon for his influence on music, in addition to his dedication to charitable causes.

An MBE is short for Member of Order of the British Empire. LeBon told The Independent per PA news agency, “What an incredible, and totally unexpected honor! I am truly beyond thrilled and surprised.”

“It is fitting that the honor has been awarded not just for my role in music, but also for the work I’ve been fortunate to be involved with outside the band for some of the causes I believe in. To name but two of them, I hope this moment helps to raise awareness for the Blue Marine Foundation and the importance of their conservation work and for Centrepoint. Their mission for over 50 years to put an end to homelessness in the UK is vital.”

LeBon was awarded his MBE along with Harry Potter and The Crown star, Dame Imelda Staunton. Also made members of the order of the British Empire were singers Heather Small and Rebecca Ferguson.

Princess Diana shared her love for Duran Duran with Princes William and Harry

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Duran Duran bassist John Taylor told Entertainment Tonight that Princess Diana had a favorite song from the band. He learned this information after speaking with Princes William and Harry about their mother.

“When we met Harry and William, they said, ‘Oh, we used to sit in the back seat and mom would play ‘Wild Boys,’ and we would sing along,'” John recalled. “That stuck with me. That idea stuck with me that the little boys would be going ‘wild boys,’ that that would be a moment for them.”

The band was featured at Princess Diana’s 10th-anniversary tribute concert at Wembley Stadium. They performed alongside Elton John, Bryan Ferry, Lily Allen, Kanye West, Rod Stewart, Natasha Bedingfield, the Feeling, James Morrison, Status Quo, Joss Stone, and Nelly Furtado.

Princess Diana died after sustaining life-threatening injuries in a car accident in Paris, France in 1997. She was 36.

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