Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham are one of the most famous and influential couples in the world. They have been together for over 35 years, but they have never tied the knot. Are they still married in the eyes of the law, or have they gone their separate ways? Here is a brief overview of their relationship and why they chose not to get married.
How They Met
Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham met at a charity event in 1986, the same year The Oprah Winfrey Show premiered. They hit it off and started dating later that year. They had a 6-year age difference, but they did not let that affect their romance. They also shared a passion for philanthropy, education, and personal growth.
Their Engagement and Decision Not to Marry
Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham got engaged in 1992, after six years of dating. They planned to have a wedding in 1993, but they postponed it due to Oprah’s busy schedule and the media attention.
They eventually decided to call off the wedding and remain unmarried. In a 2020 essay for O, The Oprah Magazine, Oprah explained that they realized that marriage was not for them, and that they preferred a different kind of life partnership.
She wrote, “We would not have stayed together, because marriage requires a different way of being in this world. His interpretation of what it means to be a husband and what it would mean for me to be a wife would have been pretty traditional, and I would not have been able to fit into that. Live life on your own terms.”
Oprah also said that she and Stedman have a “spiritual partnership,” a term coined by author Gary Zukav. She defined it as “partnership between equals for the purpose of spiritual growth.”
Their Challenges and Support
Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham have faced some challenges in their relationship, such as health issues, career pressures, and public scrutiny. In 2010, Oprah was diagnosed with thyroid problems and underwent surgery to remove a benign tumor.
She later revealed that Stedman was by her side throughout her ordeal and helped her recover. In 2011, Stedman published a book called Identity: Your Passport to Success, in which he shared his personal and professional journey and how Oprah inspired him to find his purpose.
In 2020, Oprah suffered a fall on stage while speaking at a wellness event in Los Angeles. She later joked that it was because of her shoes and that she was fine. She also said that Stedman was very concerned and attentive when she got home. In the same year, Oprah and Stedman had to self-quarantine separately for 14 days after Stedman returned from traveling amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oprah said that she made him stay in the guest house to protect her health, as she had recovered from pneumonia and a bronchial infection in 2019. They reunited after the quarantine and celebrated their love.
Conclusion
Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham are still together and still in love. They have been in a committed relationship for more than three decades, but they have never married. Oprah said that she made him stay in the guest house to protect her health, as she had recovered from pneumonia and a bronchial infection in 2019. They reunited after the quarantine and celebrated their love.
They have chosen to live life on their own terms and have a spiritual partnership that transcends the conventional expectations of marriage. They have supported each other through thick and thin, and have shared many joys and successes. They are an example of a couple that has found their own way of being happy and fulfilled.