On May 26, 1994, Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in a secret wedding in the Dominican Republic.
It was a match made in music heaven – Michael Jackson, ‘The King of Pop’ and Elvis Presley’s only daughter, ‘The Princess of Rock ‘n Roll’.
When the couple’s relationship finally went public with Jackson kissing Presley on stage at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards, the pair’s union was dubbed by many as “The Marriage of the Century”.
“I am very much in love with Michael, I dedicate my life to being his wife,” Presley said in a statement confirming their marriage.
“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.”
But according to new reports, Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley's short-lived relationship may not have been what it seemed after all.
In a new interview with The Sun, Jackson's former maid, Adrian McManus, has claimed that Jackson 'faked' sex with Lisa Marie Presley during their marriage, as he often scattered women's underwear in his room.
"When they were dating I walked into his bedroom and his comforter smelled of women's fragrance," McManus claimed.
“This was not normal. When I began cleaning I saw a white sexy lacy little bra abandoned under the bed," she added.
“There was two broken glasses next to it. I had to clean them up and felt it was Michael playing games with me.
“It all seemed so set up because that had never happened before. Sure, there were his underpants, shirts and trousers discarded, but nothing belonging to women ever were there.
“I thought that he was trying to make me think that something was going on between him and her. I knew they were dating, but he was trying to make me believe they were sexually close. I always had my doubts."
McManus also claimed that Presley never stayed overnight in Jackson's private bedroom.
“Never once did I walk into Michael’s bedroom and see them in bed or hanging out," she said.
The Quicky, Mamamia’s daily news podcast, discusses Leaving Neverland. Post continues after audio.
Speaking in documentary Leaving Neverland, Jackson's accuser James Safechuck alleged that Jackson married Presley so that the public wouldn't get suspicious about his close friendships with young children.
"I remember Michael saying he was going to have to have these public relationships with women so people wouldn't think anything," James said in the documentary.
"He would always say he was going to get married. He said, 'One day, I am going to go get married but it wasn't going to mean anything.'"
Jackson and Presley's wedding came just one year after Jordan Chandler accused Jackson of child abuse in the first public allegations against the singer.
Chandler's father Evan Chandler reportedly became suspicious of Jackson after the performer stayed in a hotel room with his 12-year-old son.
The investigation failed to produce enough evidence to file criminal charges against Jackson, but the 'Thriller' singer settled with the Chandler family out of court for US$23 million.
Although Lisa Marie Presley hasn't yet commented on the allegations aired in Leaving Neverland, she was one of Jackson's strongest supporters while he was dealing with Chandler's allegations.
Watch the trailer for documentary Leaving Neverland here. Post continues below...
In J. Randy Taraborrelli's book about Jackson, The Magic And The Madness, Presley claimed that she believed he was wrongly accused.
"I believed he didn't do anything wrong, and that he was wrongly accused and, yes, I started falling for him. I wanted to save him. I felt that I could do it," she said.
It's believed Presley encouraged Jackson to check into rehab after the very public court case as the stress reportedly led him to begin self-medicating.
Unlike other aspects of Jackson's predominately private life, Jackson and Presely's two-year marriage was highly publicised.
From their kiss on stage at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards to their naked appearance in Jackson's music video for his song 'You Are Not Alone', the pair seemingly paraded their marriage.
In 1995, the couple even sat down for a televised interview with Diane Sawyer, in which Sawyer questioned Presley about the child sex allegations against her husband.
Defending Jackson, Presley described her husband's interactions with children.
"They [the children] don't even let him go to the bathroom without running in there with him... when he jumps in the bed, I'm even out. He jumps in there with them," she said.
"Would you let your son, when he's 12 years old, do that?" Sawyer responded.
"If I didn't know Michael, no way. But I happen to know who he is and what he is, and I know that he's not like that. I know that he has a thing for children," Presley responded.
The very next year, Presley filed for divorce from Jackson, citing "irreconcilable differences".
Leaving Neverland is available to watch now on Ten Play.
Read more on this topic:
- Without us noticing, it looks like Michael Jackson groomed us for decades.
- The signs Michael Jackson was grooming the children he was close to that so many missed.
- "It wasn't going to mean anything": Why Michael Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley.
- 'Blanket' Jackson was just seven when his father died. This week he stopped talking.
- The two boys who followed Wade Robson into Michael Jackson's bed insist they weren't abused.
- Debbie Rowe says she gifted Michael Jackson two children because he was a 'wonderful man'.
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Top Comments
After watching the film, reading the books I personally believe the allegations may be fake as previous ones were. This maid was sacked for stealing and was part of a group of sacked former emoloyees who were paid to lie to repay their debt +legal fees + cost of hundreds of thousands of stolen goods from Michael Jackson. Is it possible that he may be innocent? Isn't it a coincidence that only 4 accusers exist despite many friendships with children and every one wanted millions (in this case billions of dollars). Was Michael Jackson different? Than who? Show me another abused child star from a very working class background who had unparalleled success, was sexualised and abused at a very thing age (he was forced to perform in strip clubs from age 5) and given unparalleled money and succes. Wouldn't you act different to the average Joe on the street? Is it possible we are quick to judge? Is it possible that one of the down sides of the otherwise wonderful #metoo movement is trial by media where innocents have lost their reputations. Time for balanced reporting?
But there weren't just 4 accusers, there were also the two Mexican boys in 1985/86 that was investigated by the FBI. There was the English boy and the mastrubating phone calls in 1979. And there was the child protection officer who lodged a complaint when she saw how Michael J was acting with a child on a trip to the Grand Canyon and heard disturbing noises coming from the room he was sharing with the boy.
I'm a big MJ fan musically, I think he was super talented. But I don't automatically disbalive a whole bunch of children because I like someone's music.
No, the man was an abuser. Take your MJ stanning and justifications for his despicable behaviour somewhere else.
There were many other victims, 2 more have come forward in the last 3 months, but they do not want their names in the press (and I think we can see why). Regardless, molesters do not molest every single boy they come across. Some only have a few victims. Where this 'oh he would have molested hundreds' that some fans come up with, I don't know. He took years to groom his victims. That didn't allow time to molest every boy he saw.
There is no smoke without fire. Jackson was a very sick man with a disturbing obsession with young boys - and always boys of pre-teen age. Never girls. Most pedophiles prefer one sex over the other. If he was innocent, he would have spent days in hotel rooms and at Neverland with girls. He didn't. No one who watched that documentary can possibly come away with any belief except that the men were telling the truth about what Jackson did to them. Safechuck's story of shopping for wedding rings and having a wedding ceremony with Jackson was even backed up when after the documentary aired, a news anchor thought it sounded familiar, so searched and found newsreel footage showing Jackson and Safechuck looking at rings. Basically, the mens testimony has been proven to be true. And really, no man makes this stuff up, ok? No man makes this stuff up.
And please enough with the he had no childhood narrative. He had quite a privileged life. Many child stars had it far far worse than he did, indeed, many ordinary children go through far worse, and they don't grow up to be child molesters. Lets stop looking for excuses and face the facts. Often the truth is the most obvious answer.