File photo: Diana, Princess of Wales (1961 – 1997) attends a dinner at the British Embassy in Washington, DC, Nov. 1985.
When Warren Buffett spoke with Princess Diana for the second and final time — right before her death in 1997 — the night's topic of conversation became a secret that he kept for years. Because, according to a 2012 CNBC interview that's been making the rounds online, Diana had revealed her pick for the "sexiest man alive."
The guy was none other than former President Bill Clinton.
The encounter took place at a party hosted by late Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham. Buffett was assigned to sit across the table from Diana — despite an embarrassing first encounter at another one of Graham's affairs.
"I was in a room alone one time with Princess Di at a party," the Berkshire Hathaway CEO told Squawk Box's Becky Quick of his first meeting with the late Diana. "Somehow we found ourselves in this library and I — in 15 minutes, I don’t think I could take it. I had trouble remembering my name, I couldn’t — I couldn’t think of anything to say, and it was a total disaster."
Nevertheless, in their second encounter, Diana must've been fond enough of Buffett to divulge her opinion on Clinton, whom she had met with at the White House earlier that day.
"I didn’t ask her who the least sexy guy in the world alive was," Buffett joked. "I was afraid I might get my play in there."
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Buffett added that the others at the table had "tried to keep their faces steady as she made that proclamation."
Diana and Prince Charles married in 1981 and separated in 1992, before divorcing in 1996. Just one year after their divorce was finalized, Diana died from injuries she suffered in a car crash in Paris.
Following the fatal car accident, Clinton spoke out in support of Diana's work for children, people with AIDS, and eradicating the world of land mines. He also encouraged the public to support her kids, William and Harry.
"We liked her very much," he said in a speech while on vacation at Martha's Vineyard after learning of Diana's death. "For myself, I'll always be glad that I knew the princess, and always think of her in very strong and positive terms, as will Hillary."
Diana will be portrayed by Kristen Stewart in the upcoming biopic "Spencer," titled after the princess' maiden name.
