Oprah Winfrey & Stedman Graham Shatter Split Rumors, Spotted In Chicago Together
Oprah Winfrey and her longtime partner, Stedman Graham, are proving their relationship is still going strong despite rumors that they might have called it quits. Until recently, Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham were last seen together at the Tyler Perry Studios grand opening gala in 2019 — nearly seven years ago — and fans haven't heard much about them since. But just this weekend, the beloved couple surprised, and delighted, fans by making a rare public appearance during the 40th anniversary celebration of "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which was held at Navy Pier in Chicago. Taking to Instagram, Jill Van Lokeren, a former supervising producer on Winfrey's iconic talk show, posted several photos from the reunion — including one of Winfrey and Graham happily posing with chef and restaurant owner, Art Smith.
"15 year reunion for The Oprah Winfrey Show. The best segment 1 surprise guest showed up," Lokeren wrote. "A night of all love and pure joy. Forever grateful @oprah." For the occasion, Winfrey wore a white and brown pinstripe suit with a collared shirt underneath and plain white sneakers, while Graham sported a smart black suit and white shirt. The legendary talk show host also posted a reel on Instagram, reflecting on the milestone and sharing some highlights from the celebration. "I can't even believe that as of next month, September 8, it will be 40 years since we first launched 'The Oprah Winfrey' show. Thank you for being the greatest team ever," Winfrey gushed during her speech. Fans were delighted to see the couple back together after so many years. "Rare to see them out together," one X user gushed. "Oprah and Stedman are the gold standard for long love." Indeed!
Why Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham rarely step out in public together
Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham aren't married, despite being together since 1986, and generally prefer to keep their relationship private as much as possible. In 2018, the legendary media mogul joined Gwyneth Paltrow on "The Goop Podcast" and explained why Winfrey rarely goes out with Graham in public. As she reasoned, "I stopped making as many public appearances with Stedman because I realized that every time there's a new photograph, there's a new story [...] It's an invitation." Then, referring to the press, "I picture them, they got the pictures on the wall. 'What do we have this week? What expression do we have? What can we create out of that?'"
It's worked out well for them thus far. Graham likely appreciates the low-key nature of their relationship too, given that he isn't a public figure like Winfrey. But that doesn't mean he's absent from her life; on the contrary, Stedman has always been hugely supportive of the TV icon, albeit typically behind the scenes. "The thing about our relationship is, I want the best for her. [...] I'm dedicated to her happiness," Graham clarified on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" in 2019. "I want her to be the best she could possibly be. And she's done a pretty good job of doing that."
Perhaps that's why their love has lasted this long even without a piece of paper legally binding the couple together. "Relationships that have lasted decades, especially in the public eye, often have one thing in common; the couple never lets their relationship become the content," Amy Prenner, founder of The Prenner Group, exclusively told Nicki Swift, adding, "[For] Oprah, keeping Stedman out of the spotlight isn't a strategy, it's simply a value she's always held."