Priscilla Presley, former wife of Elvis Presley and mother of Lisa Marie Presley, has consistently voiced her deep-seated suspicions regarding Michael Jackson’s motivations for marrying her daughter. In numerous interviews, she has painted a picture of Jackson as “calculating and manipulative,” suggesting his primary interest lay in associating himself with the Presley legacy rather than genuine love for Lisa Marie.

“Concerned and suspicious. From the beginning? Yes,” Priscilla stated, unequivocally confirming her early doubts. She openly admitted her belief that Lisa Marie was “used” by the King of Pop, asserting, “There’s something very calculating and manipulative about how he does things.”

A significant part of Priscilla’s unease stemmed from her perception that Jackson sought to align himself with the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” “I always felt that having the name, the associated with the name with his daughter, yeah, I did. I was concerned,” she explained. The narrative of the “King of Pop” marrying the daughter of the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” was a powerful one, and Priscilla believed this was a key factor for Jackson. “I do think that was some of that. Not that he didn’t care, but I just feel that there’s a whole other agenda going on.” When pressed if she thought he married Lisa Marie more because she was a Presley, Priscilla’s answer was a direct “Yeah.”

Priscilla recounted incidents that fueled her distrust, including Jackson’s apparent fear of her. Lisa Marie reportedly told her mother, “He’s afraid of you,” to which Priscilla questioned why, speculating, “Yeah, I think he was quite smart, and I think he did [see through me a bit].” She described an encounter at the Peabody Hotel where Jackson, upon learning Priscilla was in Lisa Marie’s suite, “pops out really quickly to get his hat… and then rushes back and closes the door.”

The marriage itself was shrouded in a secrecy that Priscilla found unsettling. She learned of the union through a news report, a shock to her. During their time together, Michael was reportedly “very, very private” and not around Lisa Marie much. Priscilla shared Lisa Marie’s own concerns: “Mom, I’m really concerned… I’d never see him… He’s always gone.”

The eventual breakup of the marriage was reportedly a relief for Priscilla. Celebrity journalists at the time claimed she was “over the moon with joy” and had thought the marriage “ridiculous from the start,” actively encouraging Lisa Marie to seek a divorce. Concerns also surfaced that Jackson might have been interested in Elvis Presley’s extensive music collection, with reports suggesting Priscilla influenced Lisa Marie to keep her inheritance untouched in her trust fund during the marriage.

Despite her strong reservations, Priscilla expressed a desire to believe Jackson held some affection for her daughter. “I want to believe he did [love her as a wife]… I would hate to believe that it was only for one thing, whether it be to maintain his popularity or to be associated somehow to her and her father.”

Regarding Jackson’s later legal troubles and acquittal, Priscilla remained somewhat guarded, acknowledging it was “hard to see him suffer” and that the ordeal “hit Lisa very hard.” She also confirmed that despite the tumultuous marriage and her own misgivings, Lisa Marie and Michael Jackson “remained friends.”

Ultimately, Priscilla Presley’s reflections cast a shadow over the union, consistently portraying it as a calculated move by Michael Jackson, driven more by the allure of the Presley dynasty than by genuine affection for her daughter.