This is the story of Prince that only his wife Mayte could write. They were not together when Prince died, but she is the woman who shared his life for many years and holds his memory dear.

In The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince, Mayte Garcia discusses her belief in reincarnation and shares her conviction that she and Prince have met before in other lifetimes, and will continue to do so into the future. I think it must be wonderful to have that kind of faith in someone who has been such an important part of your life; and perhaps that is what helps her to manage her grieving process.

Mayte first met Prince at one of his concerts. She was with her sister and her parents. Her mother was a ‘stage mum’, looking for ways to promote Mayte’s dancing career. Mayte trained in dance from a young age, and by her 16th birthday was beginning to earn really good money performing her belly dancing routine in Cairo. 

Her mother took the opportunity to give one of the road crew a demonstration tape of Mayte. Prince had already noticed her in the crowd and looked at the tape that same night. A friendship began that lasted throughout her teens and later developed into a romance which culminated in their marriage.

Telling her story about life with Prince, Mayte is able to include heartfelt love notes that the pair exchanged, along with all the excitement of working with an iconic artist. She was able to understand his creative artistry because of her own commitment to becoming the best dancer she could be.

Mayte recalls her wedding day and the reception back at Paisley Park afterwards. Prince had the house redecorated ready for Mayte to move in after they returned from their Hawaiian honeymoon. They knew that they wanted to start a family as soon as possible, and their wish was answered when Mayte became pregnant and gave birth to their son. 

Sadly, the baby was born with a genetic disorder and did not survive for very long. Losing the baby was traumatic for both of them and was something that contributed towards their marriage breakdown.

The story is written for Prince fans and provides an insight into the person he was when the stage lights went down and he went home to Minnesota. It was a life well lived, and he left a legacy of music that formed the sound track of a generation.

Most Beautiful by Mayte Garcia (published with Hachette Australia) is available from Dymocks. Click here to learn more.