Why Wasn't Gayle King Originally Allowed To Attend Oprah's Holiday Party?

Of all celebrity friendships to come in and out of Hollywood, the one that has stood the test of time is the relationship between Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King.

The two besties met back in the early days of their careers while working as young journalists at a local Baltimore station in the 1980s. "She is ... the mother I never had," Winfrey revealed of her best friend to Barbara Walters (via ABC News). "She is ... the sister everybody would want. She is the friend that everybody deserves. I don't know a better person." At the time, the billionaire was brought to tears recounting just how much she loved her friend Gayle. "Something about this relationship feels otherworldly to me, like it was designed by a power and a hand greater than my own," the media mogul said back in 2006 to O, The Oprah Magazine (via Oprah Daily). "Whatever this friendship is, it's been a very fun ride — and we've taken it together."

More than four decades later, Winfrey still tears up when talking about her BFF. The "Oprah Winfrey Show" host was on the brink of tears when she told Drew Barrymore in April that her fellow journalist was her "regulation" during the 25 seasons of her show. Winfrey shared how she and Gayle would have chat "sessions" "every night" after the show to keep the TV host calm.

So why, after all these years, was King denied entry into Winfrey's holiday party? As it turns out, there was a very good reason.

Whatever Oprah Winfrey says, goes, and that includes for her best friend Gayle King.

In celebration of the holidays and King's newest grandson Luca, Winfrey hosted King's family at her Montecito home in California over Christmas, but had strict rules in place to keep all guests safe from the COVID-19 pandemic. "Everyone who is spending Christmas at my house has to be vaccinated, boosted, tested, and quarantined," Winfrey revealed on Instagram. "Stedman calls it 'The Policy' cause I'm that serious about it." The strict policy allowed for Winfrey, her family and friends to have a safe "welcome celebration for Baby Luca," but, at first, without "his grandma [Gayle King]" since she was still waiting on her COVID-19 test results.

According to the New York Daily News, King's negative test results were delayed, and her quarantine time possibly extended due to her own anchor duties on "CBS This Morning." "Followed all the protocols.. test results in! so cleared to join the group," wrote King a day later on Instagram. "[Oprah Winfrey] ain't" playing with COVID takes no chances we all appreciate that."

The holiday party included a family sing-along of the "Circle of Life" in celebration of their newest member, per the Daily Mail. Once King did join the festivities, the news anchor was overjoyed to see her grandson and her BFF's famous monkey bread. "This is a thing of beauty. I love, love, love monkey bread," said King.