ROCK legend Steve Harley fell head over heels for his wife Dorothy thousands of feet up in the air.
The Cockney Rebel frontman, who died aged 73 following a short battle with cancer, met the former air hostess on a plane.
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It was a stroke of luck that brought them together as a passenger asked Dorothy if she could get Steve’s autograph for him.
However, at that point she had no idea who he was and asked the wrong person, Steve’s assistant.
She told the Consciously Coupling podcast that she knew a few of Steve’s songs but hadn’t followed his career.
While it wasn’t love at first sight for Dorothy, Steve was smitten and he made numerous attempts to get hold of her through the airline.
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Eventually he succeeded, and took her out for dinner in London, her first time in the capital.
Steve said: “I very much wanted to see Dorothy. I was overwhelmed to be honest, I really was.”
He went on to reveal ‘their song’ was Sailing By, the Shipping Forecast theme from Radio 4, which they used to listen to while reading in bed.
The pair spent lots of time apart in those days with Steve on the road and Dorothy in the air.
But his fame never worried her and she joked that Steve was with her for the airfare concessions.
Self-declared romantic Steve said he had plans of proposing to Dorothy from the moment he met her on that plane.
He said: “I’ve often said to Dorothy I think I was put on this earth to look after you, to protect you. And I truly, deeply mean it.”
While Dorothy said she kept Steve grounded and never enjoyed the trappings of fame, particularly paparazzi attention on evenings out.
The couple married in 1981 Marylebone Register Office and went on to have two children Kerr and Greta.
The family were by Steve’s side as he passed away at home.
They said in a statement: “We are devastated to announce that our wonderful Husband and Father has passed away peacefully at home, with his family by his side.
“The birdsong from his woodland that he loved so much was singing for him. His home has been filled with the sounds and laughter of his four Grandchildren.
“Stephen. Steve. Dad. Grandar. Steve Harley. Whoever you know him as, his heart exuded only core elements.
“Passion, kindness, generosity. And much more, in abundance.
“We know he will be desperately missed by people all over the world, and we ask that you respectfully allow us privacy to grieve.”
Steve, who contracted polio aged three and had a childhood plagued by hospital visits as a result, admitted he never had much luck with girls growing up.
When he was 12 he had an operation on his leg to even his limbs out which led to a painful year-long stay in hospital.
Recalling his teen experiences with the opposite sex, he said: “I had a real problem.
“Despite surgery, I wore a built-up shoe, which made me self-conscious.
“I finally had to accept that people don’t give a s***, the guy limps. It doesn’t affect anything else at all.”
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