How Tall Was Prince? (Hint: The answer Is Under 6’)
Do you remember watching the Golden Globes in 2007? If so, you probably know that part when Justin Timberlake crouched in front of the mic while accepting an award on behalf of Prince?
JT was making fun of Prince’s height.
While scrolling through my feed the other day, I saw a video of the incident, which made me wonder: How tall was Prince?
And that’s what I set out to find!
How Tall Was Prince? Really?
Some say he was 5’ 2” (~157.5 cm). Others think he was 5’ 3” (~160 cm). Whoever wrote his IMDB profile split the difference and went for a 5’ 2½” (~159 cm).
The average American man is 5’ 9” (~175 cm).
Was Prince’s Height a Sore Topic?
Prince was relatively short, but was he insecure about his height? Maybe.
Here’s what we know:
He Wore Heels and Lifted Shoes All the Time
Prince used to wear lifted shoes all the time. And when I was “all the time,” I mean it.
His closest friends say that even his dress-down flip-flops were lifted. According to Owen Husney, Prince refused to remove his boots for anyone, presumably because he’d be about 2” shorter without them.
And it’s not exactly a secret that Prince’s shoes had 4” or 3⅓” height boosters.
But, to be fair, a counterargument must be made here. It’s possible that Prince’s choice of footwear had nothing to do with insecurities. After all, he was quoted saying he favored high heels “because women like ‘em.”
Side Note: Some people believe that favoring heels is the reason why Prince had serious hip pain.
His Management Might Have Tried Some Visual Tricks On-Stage
André Cymone once revealed that the management would move his mic slightly to the back and keep Prince’s mic in front. This way, it would seem to the audience that Prince and Cymone are the same height.
It’s unclear whether Prince knew the management was doing this, though.
He Made Poignant Remarks About His Height
At one point, Bobby Shriver complimented Prince, saying he loved his music and that his house was great.
Prince’s response? In a poignant tone, he said: “Yeah, it is. But I’m still short.”
Where Is Prince Now?
On April 21, 2016, Prince died from an accidental overdose in his Paisley Park estate at the age of 57.
Was Prince Ever Married?
Prince was married twice:
Mayte García (1996-2000): Prince met Mayte when she was a 16-year-old dancer and later called her his “future wife.” They married in 1996. The couple had a son, Amiir, who sadly passed away shortly after birth. Prince and Mayte divorced in 2000.
Manuela Testolini (2001-2006): Prince married Manuela, a Canadian businesswoman, in 2001. They divorced in 2006.
Prince was also romantically linked to Kim Basinger, Madonna, Vanity, Jill Jones, Sheila E., Carmen Electra, Susannah Melvoin, and Sherilyn Fenn.
Final Thoughts
With a height of about 5’ 2”, Prince might have been a relatively short man. Maybe he was insecure about it.
However, this doesn’t change the fact that he was an incredibly talented and charismatic artist!
