Billionaire media mogul Barry Diller, 83, reflected on his marriage to famous designer Diane von Furstenberg, 78, and admitted to being homosexual. The courageous confession after 24 years of marriage was summed up with the phrase 'a unique and complete love.'
Ahead of the publication of his upcoming autobiography 'Who Knew,' Diller contributed an essay titled 'The truth about us after all these years' to New York Magazine. In the piece, he revealed, 'There have been many men in my life, but only one woman. She came into my life when I was 33.'
Diller has been married to fashion designer and founder of the von Furstenberg brand, Diane von Furstenberg, since 2001, maintaining their marital relationship for 24 years. The couple first met in 1974, broke up in 1981, reunited in 1991, and wed in 2001. They have no children together, but Diane has two adult children from her previous marriage to Prince Egon von Furstenberg.
In the essay, Diller expressed, 'I have never doubted the influence of my sexual orientation on my life. What I was afraid of was only the reaction of others.' Nonetheless, he emphasized, 'My love for Diane was not simply friendship or compromise. It was true passion and the greatest miracle of my life.'
He recalled regarding his relationships with women, 'At the time, I believed my heterosexual inclination was stronger,' adding, 'When I first fell in love with her, the words "Who knew?" kept swirling in my head.'
Diller stated, 'Yes, I like Namsung, but I have never felt conflicted about my love for Diane. It was an inexplicable, fateful emotion,' describing their potentially confusing relationship as 'cosmically destined for each other.'
At the end of the essay, he noted that the concept of sexual identity in modern society is 'no longer seen as rigidly defined but accepted as a flexible and natural flow,' resonating with generational change.
Diane von Furstenberg's side also expressed their stance. Her Spokesperson conveyed an insightful quote to local media Page Six, stating, 'The secret to respecting love and life is to never lie,' effectively communicating understanding and acceptance of her husband's confession.
Currently, the legal status between the two remains intact, with no divorce proceedings reportedly underway. In a 2010 interview, Diane stated, 'Barry has been someone who has unconditionally loved me for 34 years.' She added, 'Even when I left him to date other men, they were jealous of Barry, while Barry didn't care about them.'
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