Inside Michael Jackson's heartbreak over Lisa Marie Presley's refusal to have kids

Fans were left in shock when it was revealed that Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley had secretly tied the knot in the Dominican Republic on May 26, 1994.

Many were unaware that the unlikely pair even knew each other, let alone were in a relationship. Their romance became a hot topic of speculation in the years that followed, with critics suggesting their marriage was nothing more than a publicity stunt.

However, those close to the couple insisted their two-year union was genuine. In tapes released by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, a confidante of Jackson, the pop icon claimed he was heartbroken when Lisa Marie - who already had two children from her previous marriage to Danny Keough - allegedly declined to have more children.

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In these conversations recorded between 1999 and 2001, Jackson expressed his deep sorrow, saying he would wander around the house holding baby dolls. "She promised me that before we married, that would be the first thing we'd do is have children," he shared.

"So I was broken-hearted and I walked around all the time holding these little baby dolls and I'd be crying, that's how badly I wanted it, you know. I was determined to have children."

In 2010, Lisa, who passed away in 2023, gave her perspective on the matter. She revealed her fear of having children with the singer due to potential custody battles if they separated.

"There was [pressure to have kids] and I did want to, I just wanted to make sure," she confessed to US talk show host Oprah Winfrey. "I was looking into the future and I was thinking I don't ever want to get into a custody battle with him. I know, I've had children. I knew bringing children into certain circumstances, you have to make sure everything's safe and secure and okay. I wanted to make sure that he and I were really united."

Lisa Marie Presley, who tragically lost her son Benjamin Keough to suicide at the age of 27, has candidly spoken about the factors leading to her split from Michael Jackson, including his substance abuse issues.

The pair tied the knot shortly after the then-13 year old Jordy Chandler accused Jackson of abuse, with Lisa asserting her belief in his innocence and her desire to 'save' him. However, the gravity of Jackson's situation became apparent to her when he collapsed during a rehearsal for a 1995 HBO special.

"I couldn't tell what was happening. Dehydration. Low blood pressure. Exhaustion. A virus? " she reflected, acknowledging her suspicions that drugs played a role. Despite her deep care for him, she realized that his challenges were beyond her capacity to fix.

"He had to make a decision. Was it the drugs and the vampires or me? And he pushed me away," she revealed, referring to the 'vampires' as the enablers in his life. Even after their separation, they maintained a friendship, with their last conversation occurring in 2005, four years before Jackson's death, when he questioned if she still held love for him.

"I told him I was indifferent," she recounted to Winfrey. "He didn't like that word. He cried."

The recordings also revealed Jackson's other significant romances, including his feelings for Princess Diana, Brooke Shields, and actress Tatum O'Neal. Jackson reminisced about his early relationship with Tatum, calling the experience of holding her hand the 'most magical thing'. "I was, like, in heaven. It was better than kissing her, it was better than anything," he enthused.

Describing a memorable moment, he said, "I remember we went to this club, and I don't go to clubs. And I [was] watching the band, I was sitting there, and underneath the table, she was holding my hand, and I was, like, melting. Fireworks going off. That was one of the loves of my life. I think she loved me as much as I loved her, you know? We dated a lot. We, we went out a lot. Her pictures were all over my wall, my mirror, everything."

His affection wasn't reserved for Tatum alone; he also had deep admiration for the late Princess Diana, adding: "She was good, I loved her very much. She was my type, for sure."

Regarding Brooke Shields, he recalled their connection at an Oscars after-party, saying: "We exchanged numbers and I was up all night, singing, spinning around my room, just so happy. It was great."