The American actress and singer first met Princess Di when the princess came backstage at one of Minnelli's London concerts. They often crossed paths at high-profile events and remained close over the years. Hello! shared some of Minnelli's comments about her late friend: "I was lucky enough to count Princess Di as a friend. I was first introduced to her when she came backstage after a concert I did in London. Then we'd bump into each other at premieres or events where she'd be the guest of honour. We'd fall into conversation then we'd meet for tea . . . My instinct was to protect her. We talked about everything under the sun. She loved music."