Michael Jackson and his first wife, Lisa Marie Presley, were together for a fairly short time. Michael was already performing when Lisa Marie was born, meaning there was a pretty significant age gap between them. However, the couple first met when Elvis took his daughter to meet the Jackson 5 – and lead singer MJbecame the object of Lisa Marie’s affections much more than the other members of the group.
What was the age difference between Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson?
Michael was just 16-years-old, according to Randy J. Taraborelli’s Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness, when the pair first met – while Lisa Marie was only six-years-old.
This means their age gap is 10 years, which is not particularly large given some celebrity marriages.
This friendship reportedly lasted a long time and they kept in touch, though their friendship intensified as adults from 1992, according to Lisa Marie’s friend John Coale.
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On May 26, 1994, only 20 days after her divorce from first husband Danny Keough was finalised, Lisa Marie and Michael married.
Soon after Lisa Marie released a statement about this to the press, saying: “My married name is Mrs Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson.
“My marriage to Michael Jackson took place in a private ceremony outside the United States (11) weeks ago.
“It was not formally announced until now for several reasons; foremost being that we are both very private people living in the glare of the public media.
“We both wanted a private marriage ceremony without the distraction of a media circus.
“I am very much in love with Michael, I dedicate my life to being his wife.
“I understand and support him. We both look forward to raising a family and living happy, healthy lives together.
“We hope friends and fans will understand and respect our privacy.”
The couple did various interviews together, even inviting press to Neverland for an event, but their union was not to be a long one.
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The couple were finally at the point of divorce at the end of 1995, according to Michael’s former assistant Scott Schaffer, who said it came to a head after Michael collapsed on stage during an HBO Special filming in New York in 1995.
Speaking to The Sun, Scott said: “She rushed out to come and see him in the hospital and he told her she was only allowed to see him for a certain amount of time.
“He gave her an hour or even less that she could visit him and then she had to leave — so essentially he put a time limit on her.
“At that point she’d just had enough and that was literally when she called her lawyer to start divorce proceedings.”
She sought a divorce in January 1996, which was granted shortly after.
