Priscilla Presley Said It Took ‘Every Bit of Strength’ She Had to Leave Marriage to Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley‘s only wife, Priscilla Presley’s love story, was not without its problems. She addressed their difficulties in the pages of her autobiography, Elvis and Me. However, Priscilla remained deeply in love with the king of rock and roll even after realizing she needed more from their marriage. She said it took “every bit of strength” to leave Elvis and the union that changed her life behind.
Prisiclla Presley loved Elvis Presley, but issues in thier marriage were difficult to overlook
Elvis Presley and Prisiclla Presley married in May 1967 after dating for eight years. Priscilla was just 14 when she was introduced to the king of rock and roll while he was stationed in Germany as a United States Army soldier.
Elvis persuaded Prisiclla’s parents to allow her to move to Graceland in 1963 when she was 17, allowing her to finish high school in Memphis. However, Elvis was regularly away from the Memphis mansion, working on films in California.
These operations took a toll, especially when Priscilla learned he was not faithful to her during those absences. Despite this significant relationship issue, Elvis asked Prisiclla to marry him in late 1966.
The couple welcomed their first and only child one year after they married. In Elvis and Me, Prisiclla wrote that Elvis couldn’t have sexual relations with a woman who had borne a child.
Priscilla reportedly needed to learn about herself, but her love for Elvis made it difficult for her to leave their long relationship. In a 2005 interview with Larry King, she admitted, “It took every bit of strength that I could conjure up to leave because I still loved him.”
She said of their relationship, “It wasn’t about not liking. It wasn’t about not loving.”
Prisiclla claims she didn’t want to raise daughter Lisa Marie Presley in Elvis Presley’s ‘lifestyle’
Elvis Presley surrounded himself with many friends, called the “Memphis Mafia,” who accompanied him on tour, to film sets, and within his Graceland home. The men were a tight-knit group who often got into hijinks, but their presence led Priscilla to believe that type of home wasn’t the proper way to raise a child.
She told Larry King that Elvis’ lifestyle was another factor for her leaving the marriage behind. While she accepted Elvis surrounding himself with friends and family in the earlier days of their union, she didn’t want that for their child.
“I was having a daughter. It was not being able to raise a daughter and the bachelor lifestyle. Not only that, some were married, and there were a lot of unethical relationships going on,” she explained.
Prisiclla Presley moved out shortly after telling Elvis their marriage was over
After telling Elvis Presley she wanted a divorce, Priscilla moved her things out of Graceland. Once Prisiclla decided, she believed moving as quickly as possible was best.
“Saying I was leaving, to leaving. I actually — I actually started moving out, you know, soon,” Priscilla revealed. “after I said I was leaving. It was a very tough time [between her and Elvis].”
However, Priscilla claims that even though their marriage was over, she and Elvis maintained a good relationship once the hurt feelings had ended over her leaving him. “You know, I guess our relationship was not like most,” she began.
“There was no hate involved,” It wasn’t like, you know, we couldn’t still be with each other,” Priscilla concluded.
A feature film based on Prisiclla Presley‘s version of events regarding her life with Elvis Presley titled Priscilla debuts in theaters beginning Nov. 3. 2023.
