Gayle King received the birthday surprise of a lifetime when her best friend Oprah Winfrey threw her a spectacular early birthday party ahead of her milestone 70th birthday on December 28.
During her December 16 appearance on Sherri, the CBS Mornings anchor revealed how Oprah meticulously kept the surprise under wraps for months.
King admitted she was initially frustrated about attending what she believed to be a “holiday work dinner,” preferring instead to go to a glamorous black-tie event. “I had been bitching and moaning,” King confessed, laughing. Oprah, however, insisted the dinner was non-negotiable, leaving King no choice but to reluctantly attend.
What awaited her was something beyond imagination. “I saw my favorite son, Will,” King shared, referring to her 37-year-old son. “He had taken a plane to go home, or so I thought.” Her shock deepened when she spotted her daughter Kirby, 38, and Kirby’s husband. “My mind couldn’t comprehend it—even when they said surprise.”
King explained that her December 28 birthday often gets overshadowed, falling awkwardly between Christmas and New Year’s. “Nobody wants to celebrate with you… so I was fine with that,” she joked.
Reflecting on the event, King was filled with gratitude. “It’s so nice to feel appreciated while you’re still alive to, as they say, receive your flowers,” she shared.
The intimate and thoughtful guest list included family, friends, and her three sisters with their families, making the occasion all the more meaningful.
Oprah, who planned the surprise party for months starting back in June, was determined to celebrate her best friend in a way that reflected her importance. King revealed that Oprah skipped her own 70th birthday earlier this year, choosing to keep it low-key. “She didn’t want all of that. She said she’d rather be home reading a book under her trees,” King explained.
“So I feel that party was what I was hoping she’d do for herself. But I was so glad it was me.”
The heartfelt event left King “humbled and blown away,” and the special moment resonated widely, even becoming a trending video online.
For King, the celebration was not just a birthday surprise but a reflection of the enduring friendship and love shared between her and Oprah—an unforgettable gift leading into her milestone year.