Priscilla Presley Was ‘Appalled’ by Lisa Marie’s Marriage to Michael Jackson

Priscilla Presley wasn’t a fan of daughter Lisa Marie’s marriage to Michael Jackson.

In her new memoir, Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, Priscilla, 80, recalled the late Lisa Marie getting married to Jackson just weeks after her divorce from ex-husband Danny Keough — and why she didn’t approve of the relationship.

Lisa Marie (who died at age 54 in January 2023) got divorced from Keough, the father of their daughter Riley and late son Benjamin, in spring 1994. Three weeks later, she married Jackson (who died at age 50 in 2009) on May 26, 1994 in a private ceremony in the Dominican Republic.

Priscilla wrote in the book that she was aware the ceremony was happening, though Lisa Marie did not invite her to attend. “My lack of enthusiasm was obvious,” she noted, recalling her simple reaction before the nuptials: “Really?”

The former wife of Elvis Presley was “appalled” by Lisa Marie and Jackson tying the knot, she wrote. At the time, Priscilla worried the “Smooth Criminal” singer was “allying himself” with Elvis’ family “at a time when he desperately needed good publicity” following the 2003 allegations of child sexual abuse against Jackson.

In the memoir, Priscilla recalled highlighting Jackson’s Elvis fandom to Lisa Marie early in their relationship, but her mom’s worries didn’t change her mind. 

While both Priscilla and Lisa Marie previously met Jackson years earlier, according to Softly, As I Leave You, the romance was sparked after the allegations against him were made public. “She felt sorry for him, and naturally, she believed in his innocence,” she wrote, describing Jackson as “a manipulative man.”

Priscilla described having a “bizarre” relationship with Jackson, whom she encountered at one of Lisa Marie’s house parties after they started dating, she wrote in the book. At the event, she felt Jackson “wanted nothing to do with me” and noticed him avoiding her — as well as other adults, opting instead to play ball with the children in attendance, leaving Priscilla confused.

In August 1994, news of Lisa Marie and Jackson’s marriage leaked. “I found out when I heard the news helicopters circling my house,” wrote Priscilla, who then asked Lisa Marie to discuss the situation.

The following month, Lisa Marie and Jackson made an infamous appearance at the 1994 MTV VMAs and shared a long kiss on stage. Priscilla wrote about feeling “angry” following the “awkward and embarrassing” moment, noting that Lisa Marie was especially “uncomfortable” — and “cringed” when they spoke about the kiss.

As their relationship continued, Priscilla wrote, Jackson would “avoid” her. They both attended an “Elvis event in Memphis” around that time, and she felt Jackson’s presence would “detract from the focus on honoring” her late husband. 

During the event, Priscilla recalled, Jackson “didn’t come out to greet me” and only “sort of smiled” briefly while retrieving a hat from the room she was in. They never spoke, and he swiftly left the next day. “That was the sum total of my direct interactions with my son-in-law during the marriage,” she wrote.

Shortly after Lisa Marie and Jackson tied the knot, she told Priscilla the “Bad” artist was looking to have a child with her. Priscilla felt it was “too soon” and reminded Lisa Marie of her past failed relationships, encouraging her to wait. She also “didn’t trust [Jackson’s] motives.”

According to the book, Lisa Marie told her mom that Jackson claimed he’d have a baby with Debbie Rowe if she didn’t want to get pregnant, which Priscilla saw as a “big red flag.” Lisa Marie ultimately decided against having a child with him. [Jackson and Rowe later married in 1996 and welcomed son Prince and daughter Paris before they divorced in 2000.]

In their conversation, Priscilla wrote, she asked Lisa Marie if they have a “physical relationship.” Her daughter affirmed they do, but claimed she “hardly ever” saw Jackson in person, as he often left for days without telling her where he’s going.

Priscilla felt their relationship was “very strange,” and she saw Lisa Marie grow “very unhappy,” per the book She felt the public scrutiny and allegations against Jackson were affecting her daughter, who did not want to criticize him publicly.

Eventually, Priscilla noted in the memoir, Lisa Marie “had enough” and felt their “marriage was a setup,” leading her to file for divorce on Jan. 18, 1996. “I could practically hear Elvis sigh with relief,” wrote Priscilla.

In a recent PEOPLE cover story interview, Priscilla described Lisa Marie’s death as “the second saddest day of my life, other than losing Elvis.”

“It took a long time to come to terms with the fact that Lisa was gone,” said Priscilla, noting it’s “still” difficult to live without her daughter.

Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis was released on Sept. 23.