Priscilla Presley Was ‘Bewildered’ by Elvis’ Troubling Appearance at Their Divorce Hearing
When Priscilla Presley arrived at a California courthouse to finalize her divorce from Elvis Presley, his appearance stopped her in her tracks. While they had remained in contact throughout their separation, he looked notably unhappy and unhealthy. As the judge walked the couple through their divorce proceedings, Priscilla could only think about how worried she was about her soon-to-be ex-husband.
Priscilla Presley found Elvis’ appearance alarming at their divorce hearing
Though Priscilla had decided to end her marriage to Elvis, she didn’t stop loving him. They maintained a loving and friendly relationship. Still, they inevitably saw each other far less frequently than they did while married. When Priscilla arrived at the courthouse and saw Elvis, she could hardly believe her eyes.
“Accompanied by my sister Michelle, I waited in the courthouse in Santa Monica, California, for him to arrive, and when he did, I was shocked by his appearance,” she wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “His hands and face were swollen and puffy and he was perspiring profusely.”
As she sat next to Elvis and listened to the judge run through the particulars of their separation, Priscilla had a hard time focusing. All she could think about was whether or not Elvis was OK.
“With Vernon [Presley] and Michelle and our attorneys following, we went into the judge’s chambers,” she wrote. “Elvis and I sat before the judge and held hands as he put us through the formalities of the divorce proceedings. I hardly heard a word, I was bewildered by Elvis’ physical condition and kept running my hands back and forth across his swollen hands.”
Priscilla Presley asked Elvis if everything was alright during their divorce proceedings
While she lived with Elvis, Priscilla had taken care of him. She helped design the menu at Graceland and rearranged the bedroom to keep him safe. She worried that without her around, he was falling into bad habits. Priscilla had believed his new girlfriend, Linda Thompson, was good for him, but she began to question this.
“I wondered whether Elvis’ new girlfriend, Linda Thompson, knew how much love and attention he needed,” Priscilla wrote. “‘Sattnin,’ I whispered, ‘is she takin’ good care of you — watchin’ your weight and your diet, waits for you to fall asleep night?'”
Part of Priscilla’s concern about Elvis came from the fact that, after their divorce, she had far fewer options to help him.
She worried about sending her daughter to stay with him
Priscilla cared deeply about Elvis and wanted to keep their relationship friendly for the sake of their daughter, Lisa Marie. Still, she had some concerns about sending Lisa Marie to stay with him.
“She’d visit Elvis often in both LA and Memphis,” Priscilla wrote. “He assured me that he would take good care of her, but his lifestyle was such that I could not help worrying.”
He wasn’t always honest with Priscilla about how he parented their daughter, which added to her concern. Eventually, though, Elvis seemed to improve with Thompson’s help.
