Media icons Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King have once again refuted the persistent rumors about a romantic relationship between them. During an appearance on Melinda French Gates' interview series, Moments That Make Us, the two long-time friends addressed speculation surrounding their close bond.
Oprah Winfrey, 70, who has been in a relationship with Stedman Graham for over 35 years, and Gayle King, 69, have long been subject to rumors suggesting a romantic connection. Winfrey remarked, “For years, people used to say we were gay, and listen, we were up against that forever. And people still may think it.” King humorously added that she once asked Oprah to publicly clarify their relationship to help with her own dating life, noting the difficulty in finding a date with such speculation.
King, who has known Winfrey since the 1970s, stressed that their friendship is purely platonic. “If we were gay, we'd tell you!” she assured, adding that their deep connection is simply a reflection of their extraordinary bond rather than any romantic involvement. Winfrey echoed this sentiment, explaining that their strong friendship is built on mutual joy for each other’s successes and challenges. “I feel as happy as she does — I cannot be happier than Gayle. You cannot out-happy her,” Winfrey said.
The pair also discussed how their friendship has been misconstrued due to societal expectations and stereotypes about female relationships. Winfrey attributed some of the speculation to people not being accustomed to seeing such a profound bond between women without it being labeled as romantic. “The reason why I think our friendship has worked is because Gayle is happier for me for any kind of success or victory or challenge I get through than I am for myself,” she stated.
King reflected on the ongoing rumors, expressing frustration that the denial of a potential relationship implies that there is something wrong with being gay. “It bothers me that we would deny it, and we've both said this many times, implies that there's something wrong with being gay,” King said. She added that such implications are unfair to all parties involved, including Winfrey, herself, and Winfrey’s long-term partner, Stedman Graham.
Winfrey and King first addressed these rumors in 2006 through an issue of Winfrey’s magazine, O. At the time, Winfrey acknowledged that their unique bond often led people to label their relationship, stating, “There isn’t a definition in our culture for this kind of bond between women. So I get why people have to label it – how can you be this close without it being sexual?”
In summary, both Winfrey and King reaffirmed their commitment to their enduring friendship and dismissed any romantic undertones, highlighting the challenges they face due to public misconceptions about the nature of their relationship.
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