Ever since it was confirmed that legendary musician Prince died at the age of 57, news outlets from CNN to MTV are shining a bright spotlight on the incredible life he lived and the legacy he leaves behind, and people across the world are finding ways to honor him, from tweeting to playing his music. Prince has been called an "intensely private person," and wasn't one to court paparazzi attention or give frequent interviews about his personal life. But as fans reflect on him as both an artist and a person, it would be unfair to not discuss the man behind the great music. With that being said, was Prince ever married?
It turns out, Prince was married twice, first to his backup singer Mayte Garcia in 1996 before their divorce in 2000, and then to Manuela Testolini Nelson in 2001, before their divorce in 2006. Prince was not married at the time of his death, and left behind no children, although he did have a son, named Boy Gregory, with his first wife who died within a week of his birth in 1996. The singer did have a few high-profile romances with famous women, notably actor Kim Basinger and model Carmen Electra, aside from his two marriages.
There was a considerable age gap between Prince and his first wife, Garcia. According to a 2015 interview with UK's The Mirror , Garcia was 16 when the two first met, and Prince was 32. Garcia described the relationship as "amazing and surreal," saying,
I’d always been a very focused dancer and very protected. Prince was my first crush, and my first love, but we didn’t start to get serious until I turned 18. He was very respectful. I remember our first kiss, and thinking, "Oh God, oh wow, this is not happening!" I remember it being overwhelming and weird. Our entire time together was amazing and surreal, and he showed me some incredible things and introduced me to incredible people.
Prince married his second wife shortly after his divorce with Garcia in 2000. Testolini and Prince got married in 2001. Testolini worked for Prince's charitable foundation before they wed, according to People. Testolini became an entrepreneur following her divorce from Prince in 2006 and told The Toronto Star of being married to the musician, "It was a roller-coaster. It was a very eye-opening experience to see what show business was all about. It was never my desire to be in the spotlight, but it was a great experience because it allowed me to start my own business."
Prince did not marry again following his five-year marriage to Testolini.
