It’s 17 years since the King of Pop passed away just three weeks before he was set to begin a residency at London’s O2 – and now fans believe he’s still here in spirit
Fans of Michael Jackson have hailed a “miracle” that occurred at a memorial for the late King of Pop at the weekend. Thousands of Michael Jackson devotees descended on Trafalgar Square on Saturday (June 27) to join in the annual MJ Memorial Day celebrations. Jackson died on June 25, 2009 from cardiac arrest as a result of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication administered by his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.
The superstar had been busy preparing for his This Is It tour – a planned 50-night residency at London’s O2 Arena when tragedy struck three weeks before it was due to commence.
Since then, fans have gathered to mark the anniversary of his passing every year at various locations around the world – with the 2026 event pushed back two days to Saturday to enable more people to attend.
One woman who was present in the capital recorded the dramatic moment during a singalong of the 1995 hit, Earth Song.
Paula was directing her camera phone towards Nelson’s Column in front of a gloomy looking sky when the “miracle” occurred.
As the song reached the first chorus, a glow appeared above the Whitehall buildings, which gradually spread from right to left forming a rainbow as the track went on.
It prompted scores of other attendees to whip out their phones and record the dramatic moment.
Writing in response to Paula’s clip, one TikTok user declared: “This gave me chills it seemed the more louder you was singing, the bigger the rainbow got! Even now Michael is still trying to heal the world.”
A second person exclaimed: “I cannot imagine how it felt being there and seeing/feeling it in person! I got shivers through the screen.”
A third added: “This rainbow is not just a rainbow, it is a blessing from Michael Jackson.”
While a fourth said: “In the heatwave we’re having now, watching this this video gives me goosebumps, chills… this rainbow is the sign that MJ showed his love and appreciation for this movement you guys did for him. He was there.”
More remarkably, Earth Song begins, “What about sunrise? What about rain?” – a combination that of course would create a rainbow.
Looking for m ore from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
