Meet Prince’s first wife, dancer and actress Mayte Garcia: she met the Purple Rain singer at 16, choreographed Britney Spears’ ‘I’m a Slave 4 U’ video, and wrote a book about her life with him

Nov 30 , 2024

Prince’s first wife, Mayte Garcia, recently sold the rights to her memoir for a biopic slated to get made next year. Photos: @maytejannell/Instagram; Getty

They may have divorced long before Prince died, but Mayte Garcia had the singer’s baby and was the subject of his hit The Most Beautiful Girl in the World

It’s been more than eight years since Prince died on April 21, 2016. His first wife, Mayte Garcia, now 51, vividly recalled the heartbreaking day during a chat with TwinCities in 2017, mentioning an unexpected text from Manuela Testolini, Prince’s second ex-wife, who had become a close friend and who was contacting her with the bad news.

Prince and Mayte Garcia at a Versace fashion show in Paris, in 1999. Photo: Getty Images

In her 2017 memoir, The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince, Garcia candidly shared the highs and lows of her relationship with the music legend, including the painful period during which Prince began seeing Testolini while they were still married.

Mayte Garcia, the first Mrs Prince. Photo: @maytejannell/Instagram

Now at peace, Garcia has moved on. “I believe in karma and I think what you put out is what you’re going to get back,” she told Lyndsanity this year. Her memoir is also set to hit the big screen, with Garcia recently signing off on the rights for a biopic she hopes will appear next year.

So, who is Mayte Garcia? Here’s what you need to know about Prince’s first wife.

Mayte Garcia is a professional dancer and actress

Mayte Garcia is a talented choreographer. Photo: @maytejannell/Instagram

Garcia has worn many hats: professional choreographer, belly dancer, singer and actress, according to The Sun. Born in Puerto Rico, she grew up a military brat, constantly moving across the United States. As a teenager she moved to Germany, where she graduated from high school. Mayte’s talent eventually led her to choreograph the famous moves in Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U” music video.

When did Mayte Garcia and Prince start dating?

Prince and Mayte Garcia at a party in New York, in 1998. Photo: Getty Images

According to The Sun, Mayte’s story with Prince began in 1990 when she was just 16, thanks to her mother and a video of Mayte performing. During a concert in Germany, her mother discreetly handed the tape to one of Prince’s crew. After meeting backstage, he and Mayte quickly grew close.

Prince and Mayte opening his Sign o’ the Times record and music memorabilia shop in Camden, London, in 1994. Photo: Getty Images