Priscilla Presley Admits She Was ‘Under a Spell’ of ‘What I Thought Was Love’ With Elvis Presley
As her relationship with Elvis Presley grew, Priscilla Presley fell deeply for the king of rock and roll. For 14 years, their love story evolved from dating to marriage, parenthood, and divorce. However, throughout her union with Elvis, Priscilla admits she was “under a spell” of “what I thought was love.”
Elvis Presley put Priscilla Presley ‘under a spell’
In a 1985 interview with Barbara Walters, Priscilla Presley openly discussed her relationship with Elvis Presley. Walters dug deep into the couple’s union, asking Priscilla questions she had never answered previously.
One was Priscilla’s statement regarding her relationship with the king of rock and roll in her autobiography, Elvis and Me. Walters said, “You wrote, Elvis controlled your looks, clothes, and makeup. He controlled you totally.” She asked Priscilla, “Is that accurate?”
Priscilla responded, “Mmm hm. I was definitely under a spell of what I thought was love. But I had to take responsibility for that too.”
Walters retorted, “But you were 16, 17 years old.” Priscilla responded, “But what did I know? I knew nothing else. I had no experience. Not even in life but with other people.”
Barbara Walters criticized Elvis Presley for molding Prisiclla Presley at a young age
During the interview, Barbara Walters criticized Elvis Presley for how he molded Priscilla Presley’s appearance as a young woman. She wrote in Elvis and Me that she was just 14 when they met, and as a teenager, he took her to Las Vegas, where he bought her sequined dresses and had her hair and makeup done to make her look older.
“Even though he wanted you virginal and pure, he dressed you in sequins and shiny material. Low cut and slit up the side dresses. Why?” Walters asked Priscilla.
Priscilla laughed nervously, then responded. “I think maybe it was his way of showing sophistication. Maybe making me appear older. I don’t know; there’s an appeal for men about a trashy look.”
Elvis and Priscilla lived together for six years before marrying in 1967
The veteran interviewer continued to probe deeply into Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s personal life. She asked Priscilla if she and Elvis had consummated their relationship before marriage in the years they lived together after reading a particularly heartfelt passage from Priscilla’s book.
Priscilla explained that she could only return to Elvis’ “concept of what he wanted in a woman.” She continued, “Somewhere in his past, he said he wanted a virgin.”
Although they had lived together for years, the couple was in no rush to wed. Priscilla claimed the pressure was on Presley to marry. His manager, Colonel Tom Parker, laid down the law who told the king of rock and roll he had to marry or end things with Priscilla.
Elvis and Priscilla Presley married in 1967. Nine months to the day of their wedding, the couple welcomed their only child Lisa Marie Presley. The couple co-parented their daughter until Elvis’ death in August 1977.
