Elvis Presley’s life in cinemas is being celebrated with the release of Elvis, a new autobiography by director Baz Luhrmann. But while it tells the story of how superstar Priscilla Presley met, it doesn’t provide all the details.
It is true that Elvis first met Priscilla (originally known as Beaulieu) in 1959 when he was stationed in Friedberg, Germany for the US Army. The star was in love with the 14-year-old daughter of a US Air Force captain, and he couldn’t bear to be without her when he returned to the States.
The following year, Elvis begged Priscilla’s parents to let her visit him for Christmas. They agreed, but he wanted more.
After that, Elvis convinced Priscilla’s parents to let her move in permanently with him in Graceland. It did so in 1963.
Just a few years later, during Christmas 1966, Elvis proposed to Priscilla a massive 3.5-carat diamond ring surrounded by 20 slightly smaller diamonds.
Speaking about the event in 1973, Priscilla recalled: “Although many people thought our wedding was a surprise, Elvis and I talked about it in stages. One day, he showed me the ring and simply asked me to marry him.”
But Priscilla wasn’t longing for Elvis to propose to her in the first place.
Priscilla revealed that the social pressures of an unmarried couple living together contributed to their speedy marriage. Without it, she would not have wanted to marry.
“Although we were just as content as we were, at the time it wasn’t good for people to live together,” she said.
The couple had been living together for almost four years, so their parents undoubtedly called for a wedding.
She hinted at this reaction in her response to Elvis as she flies her parents to her.
READ MORE: Elvis Presley Gave Priscilla Presley’s Pill After Her Transition
Priscilla revealed that Elvis was often absent throughout the ensuing years due to the flourishing of his Hollywood film career. And although she was happy for him, she wasn’t good with her.
She said, “Elvis coming home from a trip and leaving again was a chore. At first, I wanted to go with me and it was hard for me to understand why I couldn’t. Sure I was disappointed, but I got over it.”
Some times were worse than others. She continued, “The times when Elvis couldn’t celebrate an anniversary has become a way of life. I may have been hurt, but it’s an adjustment that you make as a wife.”
In the end, she convinced herself that things would get better. ‘I kept thinking,’ she said, ‘she’ll do it herself–we’ll make it somehow! ‘ I had to, because if you thought: ‘I’ll always be alone,’ you’d go crazy.
“You have to live one day at a time, and I hope things aren’t always this way,” added Priscilla.
The couple were only married for a few years before they filed for divorce. On October 9, 1973, Elvis and Priscilla divorced.
Despite the breakdown of their marriage, they remained good friends. As they walked away from signing divorce papers, Elvis sang “I Will Always Love You” to Dolly Parton.
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