With anticipation building for Sofia Coppola’s upcoming Priscilla, it’s worth revisiting the true story of Priscilla Presley’s life with and after Elvis. 2022 saw the release of Baz Luhrman’s Elvis, and though the film was met with approval by his estate, it received some public criticism for glossing over the controversial details of Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s relationship in favor of an examination of The King’s history with his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Conversely, the estate has voiced their disapproval of Priscilla, a film that promises to focus on the marriage, as adapted from Priscilla’s own 1985 memoir, Elvis and Me.
It’s likely that Sofia Coppola, a director well known for her commitment to storytelling that centers the female voice, will deliver a film that examines the nuance of Priscilla’s complex relationship with Elvis Presley. Still, the narrative can’t be expected to include every detail. Given that the Presley estate has already criticized Priscilla for apparently falling short on accuracy, it’s worth taking a look at the facts of Priscilla’s story. Her meeting and marriage to Elvis, their eventual divorce, and the aftermath make up a rich tapestry that the upcoming film should hope to honor.
When Priscilla Met Elvis Presley
In the late 1950s, an extremely famous Elvis Presley was drafted into the US Army. The star had already released 3 studio albums and made four films by 1958; one of Elvis Presley’s best movies, Jailhouse Rock, had even come out the previous year. However, he turned down several cushy assignments in favor of serving as a regular soldier stationed in West Germany. In 1959, Priscilla’s family were living in West Germany, where her stepfather was likewise stationed. It was at a party in September of that year that 14-year-old Priscilla met the 24-year-old singer.
The two quickly began a relationship, seeing each other as much as possible. On the last night of Elvis’ military service before his return to America, Priscilla recalls (via Insider) wondering “would I ever see him again, be in his arms the way I had been nearly every night for the past six months?” During their time apart, Elvis’ contact with Priscilla was infrequent, but never dropped off entirely. The two even embarked on a trip together when Priscilla was 17. Despite telling her parents they would be going to Los Angeles with a chaperone, Elvis and Priscilla spent two weeks in Las Vegas unsupervised.
Priscilla’s Marriage & Kids With Elvis Presley Explained
In 1963, Priscilla officially moved into Elvis’ home, Graceland. In 1967, the two were married in a small Las Vegas ceremony with only 14 guests. Priscilla would later explain that their marriage had more to do with social expectation than a desire to tie the knot: “even though we were perfectly content the way we were, at that time it wasn’t nice for people to live together.” Within their first year, Priscilla became pregnant. Seven months into her pregnancy, Elvis asked his new wife for trial separation. However, two days later he retracted his request and never brought it up again.
Exactly nine months to the day from the wedding, Priscilla and Elvis saw the birth of their only child, Lisa Marie. Despite reservations about the pregnancy, the two were overjoyed at their new daughter and lived in a state of bliss. However, the happiness was short-lived. A highly successful TV special near the end of 1968 saw Elvis’ music career reinvigorated. While constantly touring and playing shows in Las Vegas, Elvis embarked on numerous unsubtle affairs. While the practice was nothing new, it became harder and harder for Priscilla to ignore.
Priscilla Had An Affair Before Divorcing Elvis
Sometime in the early 1970s, Priscilla began her own extramarital relationship. While she had seen a brief tryst with a dance instructor in the late 1960s, it was her relationship with her karate instructor, Mike Stone, that would blossom into a long term romance that eventually ended her marriage to Elvis. After she confessed to the affair in 1972, Elvis reportedly entertained hiring a hitman to kill Stone, a development that was later acknowledged by Priscilla herself (via Cheatsheet). The couple would file for legal separation and, eventually, divorce. However, they remained amicable, even being photographed leaving the courthouse hand in hand.
Priscilla Presley’s Life After Elvis
Priscilla and Elvis maintained a strong relationship long after their marriage ended. One of Priscilla’s former partners recalls that Elvis would call her at all hours of the day and night. Priscilla saw numerous high-profile romantic entanglements after Elvis. After she parted ways with Mike Stone, Priscilla saw relationships with Rob Kardashian, Julio Iglesias, model Michael Edwards and film producer Marco Garibaldi (via Us Weekly). Priscilla’s relationship with Garibaldi lasted from 1984 to 2006 and produced a son, Navarone. Tragically, Lisa Marie Presley passed away in early 2023, and Priscilla’s grandchild, Benjamin Keough died in 2020. However, Priscilla still has three grandchildren through Lisa Marie, including actress Riley Keough.
Priscilla Presley Became An Actress After Elvis
In the 1980s, Priscilla Presley began pursuing a career in acting. After appearing in a TV movie, Love is Forever, and appearing in an episode of the TV series The Fall Guy, she found great success with a major role on the soap opera Dallas, on which she appeared as Jenna Wade for six years and 143 episodes. Presley continued to act well into the 1990s, most notably playing romantic interest Jane Spencer in all three Naked Gun movies, before stepping away from the craft in 1999. However, she recently co-created the Netflix animated series Agent Elvis, in which she voices herself.
What Has Happened To Priscilla Presley Recently
Priscilla Presley has remained involved and on good terms with the recent high-profile projects that deal with her relationship with Elvis. In the case of 2022’s Austin Butler film Elvis, Priscilla gave the film her seal of approval and even walked the red carpet at the Met Gala alongside the film’s cast. Priscilla is heavily involved with the upcoming Priscilla movie, a film which is adapted from her own 1985 memoir Elvis and Me and lists Priscilla Presley as an executive producer. As mentioned, the film has seen criticism from the Elvis Presley estate, with whom Priscilla is currently involved in a court battle over Lisa Marie’s will (via Forbes).
Sources: Insider, Cheatsheet, Us Weekly, Forbes
