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On This Day: Lisa Marie Presley Marries Michael Jackson in 1994

When the King of Pop married Lisa Marie Presley, the only daughter of the King of Rock’ n’ Roll, it seemed like a partnership of American music royalty that fans never saw coming.

Yet on this day, 27-years-ago on May 26, 1994, a marriage certificate proved that the unlikely pair tied the knot in a private ceremony in the Dominican Republic.

However, Jackson and Presely’s relaitonship began decades earlier when she was seven years old and attended one of her dad’s concerts in Las Vegas. There, she first met Jackson when he was part of the Jackson Five. Although he was ten years older than her, the two began a friendship.

Later, in November 1992, the two reconnected as adults. At the time, Presley was married to her first husband, with whom she had two children. Although she was still married, there were rumors of a blossoming romance between the two. Together, they vacationed at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property. Another source said they spent time in a park in Trump Tower in New York City.

Lisa Marie Presley Tells All About Jackson During Oprah Interview

However, skeptics speculated that the relationship was part of Jackson’s “fascination with Elvis.” Presley also realized that Jackson was a habitual drug user. Drugs had played a role in her father’s own death in the 1970s. In 1995, Jackson collapsed on stage during a rehearsal. During an interview, Opray Winfrey asked Presley about the incident: “What did your gut tell you? You thought there was some drug use?” with Presley answering, “Yes.”

Additionally, the couple argued about having children. “I did want to, but I just wanted to make sure,” she told Winfrey. “I was looking into the future and thinking, ‘I don’t ever want to get into a custody battle with him.’”

Despite their troubles, Jackson and Presley had a close connection. “I loved taking care of him,” she told Winfrey. “It was one of the highest points in my life when things were going really well, and he and I were united. It was a very profound time of my life.”

Yet, the couple eventually came to a crossroads. “He had to make a decision. Was it the drugs and the vampires or me? And he pushed me away,” Presley continued to Winfrey, defining the “vampires” as “people that are sort of… sycophants.”

By January 18, 1996, the marriage had ended. However, they did continue a friendly relationship up until Jackson died in 2009.