Why Aretha Franklin Never Performed Live For Queen Elizabeth

As many of us know, thanks to our pandemic obsession with "The Queen's Gambit," the queen is the most powerful piece on the chessboard. So, what happens when two of the most iconic queens of all time come face to face? This burning question was almost answered in 2002, when Aretha Franklin was invited to perform for Queen Elizabeth in honor of her Golden Jubilee, a lavish celebration marking the 50th year of the monarch's accession to the throne. Sadly, their meeting never transpired.

It's not a surprise that Franklin was invited to perform for the Queen in the first place. After all, the "Respect" singer is one of the world's most successful recording artists, with over 75 million copies of her records sold. Known for her powerful voice and soulful melodies, she has even made the Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Artist of All Time list — twice!

So, why did the queen of soul refuse to perform live for the Queen of England? Read on to find out.

Aretha Franklin's reluctance to perform live for Queen Elizabeth was not because of a lack of "Respect" for the monarch, but rather due to a crippling phobia. The legendary singer may have projected a fearless image, but a nasty bout of turbulence on a plane trip to Detroit left her traumatized and mortally afraid of flying, per the Daily Beast. Although the incident happened in 1984, she was never able to shake her fear, despite attempting a course to battle her phobia. In fact, her fear ran so deep, that at one point even stormy weather would make her nervous, according to her biographer, David Ritz, as noted by Rolling Stone.

However, the "Ain't No Way" singer never let her phobia limit her, instead opting to travel to performances in luxury tour buses. She even found an ingenious solution to perform for Queen Elizabeth after all: via a pre-taped recording in New York, per Fox News. Regal as ever, Franklin was decked out in diamonds and jewels for the occasion — just like a true queen!

While she never met Queen Elizabeth herself, Aretha Franklin did meet another prominent royal: the Queen Mother! Shortly after her death, Franklin's ex-husband, Glynn Turner, revealed on "Good Morning Britain" that another musical icon, Sammy Davis Jr., once introduced them to the elder Elizabeth, with Princess Diana and Prince Charles also reportedly present, per Royal Central.

Describing the Queen Mother as "gracious," Turner went on to share the hilarious way Davis Jr. introduced Franklin. "But we also have royalty in America," the jazz legend began. "We have the Duke of Ellington, the Count of Bassey, and ladies and gentlemen I bring you the Queen of Soul."

As for Queen Elizabeth herself, she certainly didn't seem to bear any hard feelings over Franklin opting not to perform live for her. Upon Franklin's passing in 2018, the Changing of the Guard ceremony outside Buckingham Palace belted out a moving rendition of Franklin's mega-hit, "Respect." The late artist surely would have been honored.