His Secret Duet Partner Was a Princess — Michael Jackson

THE FACT

The breathy whispered female vocal on In the Closet — credited on the album sleeve as 'Mystery Girl' — was Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, fourth-in-line to the Monégasque throne. Her involvement was kept secret for years; only her record-label code-name appeared on the credits.

WHAT MOST DON'T KNOW

Princess Stéphanie, the youngest daughter of Prince Rainier III and Grace Kelly, had a brief pop-music career in the 1980s with several hits in Europe. She had met Michael at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival and the two became friends through their mutual connection to Elizabeth Taylor. When Michael was looking for a 'sensual, accented female voice' for the song's call-and-response, Quincy Jones reached out to her through her label. She flew secretly to Los Angeles, recorded the vocal in a single afternoon at Larrabee Studios, and her name was scrubbed from every official document. The credit 'Mystery Girl' was the same trick The Beatles had used in the 1960s when Yoko Ono whispered on Revolution 9. Stéphanie's identity was confirmed publicly only after Michael's death, in a 2009 Paris-Match interview where she described their friendship and the song. The Herb Ritts–directed video features Naomi Campbell — not Stéphanie — as the visual stand-in.

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THE MOMENT

Michael Jackson — In the Closet (Official Video, 1992) — Herb Ritts directs. Naomi Campbell on screen. Princess Stéphanie of Monaco on vocals.

SOURCES

In the Closet — Wikipedia ↗