Neil Diamond’s Surprising Love Story: How a 29-Year Age Gap Turned into a Rock-Solid Marriage
Neil Diamond, the legendary voice behind “Sweet Caroline,” shocked many fans in 2012 when he married Katie McNeil, a woman nearly 30 years his junior. At the time, Neil was 71 years old. Katie? Just 42.
Rumors swirled: Was it just a passing romance? A star-manager affair? But a decade later, their marriage has not only lasted — it’s flourished.
Katie, an experienced music executive, first met Neil while producing the documentary Neil Diamond: Hot August Night/NYC in 2009. What started as a professional connection quickly evolved. Katie understood Neil’s introverted nature, respected his creative space, and offered something he hadn’t found in years: peace.
“I never expected to fall in love again at this age,” Neil once told the press. “But Katie brought light into my darkest days.”
After Neil was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2018, Katie stood by him unconditionally. She helped manage his health, supported him through his retirement from touring, and became his anchor during uncertain times.
Today, the couple lives quietly in Colorado, far from the spotlight. Their story stands not as a cliché, but as proof that love — true love — can defy age, expectation, and even illness.