In the decades of the media age there has always been a great level of interest in the love lives of the members of the Royal Family.
This has been the case for many royals over the years whether they are simply pictured speaking to someone or when news of an engagement is imminent. So imagine the palpable excitement back in the 1970s when there were rumours that then then Prince Charles was growing close to a certain Hollywood and Broadway megastar.
Back in 1974, Charles looked to be doing just that and the royal rumour mill began to churn out reports that he and legend of stage and screen Barbra Streisand were close friends.
When King Charles was 26-years-old and serving in the Royal Navy, he met Barbra Streisand in California while she was recording new music and filming the sequel to her hit movie 'Funny Girl' and the pair quickly became friends.
Both The King and Streisand have spoken out publicly about their friendship - which saw them grow very close.
In July 2021, Prince Charles appeared on a radio program titled “Music and Memories With HRH The Prince Of Wales” as part of the UK’s national Thank You Day to honour the NHS for their hard work during the pandemic.
In the interview, he reminisced fondly about the first time he ever met the singer, as he told the presenter: "I have always been a great admirer of the incredibly versatile American actress and singer Barbra Streisand."
Love the royals? Sign up for the Mirror's daily newsletter to get all the latest news on the Queen, Charles, Kate, Wills, Meghan, Harry and the rest of The Firm. Click here to sign up .
"Back in 1974, when I was serving in the Royal Navy…as a young lieutenant in the frigate HMS Jupiter, we called into the United States navy’s base in San Diego, California…when I heard that she was currently making the film [Funny Lady - sequel to Funny Girl]."
"I was lucky enough to visit the set and to meet her there. I shall never forget her dazzling, effervescent talent and the unique vitality and attraction of her voice and her acting ability.
"This next song, 'Don’t Rain on my Parade,’ is therefore full of special memories of—I hardly dare think of it now—47 years ago.”
But King Charles isn't the only one to talk openly about their close friendship as Streisand herself has recalled their meetings in an interview.
Appearing on ITV's Lorraine, Streisand said: "He asked to meet me. 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.'"
"We became friends," Streisand said. "And I loved spending some time at Highgrove for a weekend fundraiser and going through his gardens." In the interview, she also recalled a hilarious story after the prince sent her flowers.
She remembered: "I walked by [the assistant's] room and I saw this bouquet of flowers and I said, 'Who sent me that?' and she said, 'A fan called Charles.' And I said, 'Really? Let me see the note,'" Streisand recalled. "And there was [Prince Charles's] seal."
Streisand noticed that the flowers looked unique because they were from the royal gardens, rather than a florist. She noted: "They were from his gardens and it's a different look—the flowers—when they're garden flowers."
"She just mistook it for a fan," Streisand said. "It was so funny, I thought. That's Prince Charles! That was before he met Diana," she said.
"I had a very funny line on stage when he came to see the show. I said, 'You know, if I played my cards right, I could have wound up being the first Jewish princess!'"
