Priscilla Presley Realized Elvis’ Reason for Making Her Stay in a Separate House on Vacation Wasn’t as Honorable as He Claimed

In 1962, Priscilla Beaulieu flew from Germany to Los Angeles to visit Elvis Presley. While the two were romantically involved when Elvis was stationed abroad in the Army, they hadn’t seen one another in two years. When Priscilla arrived, she was disappointed to learn she’d be staying at Elvis’ friend’s house. The musician told her that this was out of respect for her parents’ wishes. Later, however, Priscilla learned that he had a different reason to want her out of the house.

Priscilla Presley visited Elvis in Los Angeles

Priscilla’s visit only happened after her father laid out rules with Elvis. Priscilla was only 16 at the time, so he wanted to ensure she had a constant chaperone and wrote home every day. Elvis promised to stay true to these stipulations.

When Priscilla arrived, she spent hours with Elvis in his bedroom. As the night deepened, Elvis informed her that she’d be sleeping at a friend’s house. He wanted to fulfill his promise to her father.

“Later that night he told me I had to stay with friends of his, George and Shirley Barris,” Priscilla wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “Although I protested, Elvis said, ‘I don’t want to go back on my promise to your father. Besides, if he found out you were staying with me, he’d make you go right home.’ It didn’t make any sense, but I got out of bed and Elvis had Joe drive me over to the Barrises’ house, where I would spend the night. Reluctantly.”

Elvis made it seem as though he made this decision out of respect for Priscilla and her father. She later learned that this wasn’t the full truth. He also wanted to hide the fact that he was still in a relationship with another woman, Anita Wood. 

“Later I found out through one of the wives whom I had befriended the reason for my spending the first night with George and Shirley,” Priscilla wrote. “Apparently Anita had been sent back to Memphis the day before, and Elvis was taking precautions to avoid any awkward situations for himself that might have resulted from late-night phone calls.”

Elvis frequently spoke to Priscilla about his relationship with Anita Wood

At this point, Priscilla was well aware of Elvis’ relationship with Wood. While she could only guess about whether or not Elvis had affairs with other celebrities, he spoke openly about Wood with her. When he was in Germany, he expressed his fears that Wood was not faithful to him, overlooking his own infidelity with Priscilla. After he left, he complained about his relationship during phone calls.

“Occasionally, he’d talk about Anita, saying their relationship wasn’t what he had expected when he returned from the Army,” Priscilla wrote. “He was no longer sure he wanted to be with her. I didn’t know where I stood.”

Anita Wood ended the relationship

Wood also knew about Elvis’ relationship with Priscilla. Shortly after Priscilla visited Elvis, Wood confronted him about his infidelity.

“When I was coming down the back stairs into the kitchen, I heard Elvis say, ‘I’m having the hardest time making up my mind between the two,'” Wood said, per Express. “Elvis took me into the dining room and his dad was sitting at the table. And we sat down at the table and I said, ‘I’m gonna make that decision for you, I heard what you said and I’m leaving.'”

While she said the decision was difficult, she knew she had to leave. Elvis told her she didn’t have to go, but she packed her things and never looked back.