Inside Elvis and Priscilla's Turbulent Love Story
Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. Photo courtesy of Joseph Novak under CC BY 2.0.
Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley — just those two names conjure up images of rock and roll royalty, lavish lifestyles, and maybe a touch of dysfunction. Their love story, chronicled in the recent film "Priscilla," was anything but a slow ballad. It was a full-on rockabilly roller coaster, filled with highs that hit the stratosphere and lows that plunge deeper than some of us could have ever imagined from the outside.
A 14-Year-Old and the King
The story started out in 1959, after Elvis' commercial breakout and his being drafted into the United States Army. Elvis, a fresh-faced 24-year-old soldier stationed in Germany, met a young girl named Priscilla Beaulieu, a military brat who was 14 years old and a freshman in high school. The age difference was a point of contention for many, and rightfully so, as the two of them couldn't even be seen out in public together. But Elvis, smitten, whisked Priscilla into his world of fame and fortune.
When Elvis left Germany to fight in the war, Priscilla's parents told her the relationship was over. But she continued to write letters to Elvis, using pink envelopes so that they stood out from other fan mail. Upon returning home, Elvis petitioned Priscilla's parents to let her finish her senior year of high school living with his parents in Memphis, Tennessee. Reluctant at first, ultimately, they agreed to the arrangement.
A Gilded Cage
Priscilla moved into Elvis' parents' home, but eventually ended up living at Graceland, Elvis' opulent mansion, and underwent a transformation. The King oversaw her clothes, hair, and education, molding her into his ideal companion.
They married in 1967 in Las Vegas. The couple waited to be physically intimate until their wedding night. Priscilla was 21 when they married, and nine months later, their daughter, Lisa Marie, was born. This was a bright spot in an increasingly complex relationship.
Can't Help Falling in Love ... With Someone Else
Elvis' career demands kept him on the road, and Priscilla felt isolated in Graceland's gilded cage. Elvis himself struggled with loneliness and prescription drug use. It was well known that Elvis was with other women during his relationship with Priscilla. However, after their daughter was born, Elvis would no longer sleep with his wife, leading her to seek solace in an affair of her own. Upon learning about an affair with her karate instructor, Elvis allegedly threatened to hire a hitman to kill the instructor. Thankfully, he never followed through.
Striking Out on Her Own
By 1972, Priscilla had left Elvis, and their divorce was finalized a year later. Despite the heartbreak, the decision was mutual, and their bond stayed strong as they co-parented their daughter. Priscilla went on to forge a successful career in acting and fashion, forever linked to the King, but determined to be her own woman and build her own life. When Elvis died in 1977, Priscilla said she felt like she was going to die, a testament to how much love was still between the pair.
A Love Story With a Heavy Beat
Elvis and Priscilla's love story may not have a happy-ever-after ending, but it's undeniably captivating. It's a cautionary tale of fame's pressures and the challenges of love with a significant age gap.
Through it all, Priscilla emerges as a complex and fascinating figure in her own right. Now, she is having her turn on the big screen.
References: How Priscilla Presley Went from Elvis' Young Love Interest to His 'Living Doll' | The Heartbreaking Truth About Elvis and Priscilla Presley's Love Story
