This week, January 8, 2023, marks the 88th birthday of Elvis Presley. He has left a mark on countless lives over the years, but few have outlived the King of Rock and Roll as deeply as Anne-Margret. The Swedish-American actress spent just over a year having an intimate relationship with the star behind closed doors in 1964 on the set of her movie Viva Las Vegas before separating. But after his death, she learned of his true feelings for her.
Elvis died on August 16, 1977, after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Graceland home. He was found in the bathroom by his fiancée at the time, Ginger Alden.
At the time, Ann-Margret was living in Las Vegas while performing nightly at a residence. And although she hasn’t seen Elvis in nearly 15 years, their relationship is still evident. This was evidenced by a touching gift that she received every night. Every day, before her performance, Ann-Margret would send Elvis a bouquet of flowers in the shape of a guitar as a sign of good luck.
But on August 16, 1977, she received nothing. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. Then Ann-Margret received a phone call from Elvis’ friend and road manager, Joe Esposito. He broke the terrible news that Elvis had died. She answered with two simple words: “We are coming.”
Elvis’ funeral was held two days later, on August 18, 1977. Thousands of people attended the emotional event, including many from the star’s life over the years.
When Ann-Margaret arrived at Graceland, she went straight to Elvis’ father and “hugged him so tight.”
King’s father, Vernon Presley, later recalled: “Being distraught with shock and misery, I did not see or recognize some of the people at the funeral. Anne-Margaret and I embraced each other and wept together, but I did not even see that her husband, Roger Smith, He was close to her.”
Anne Margaret recalled the same event in her memoirs – My Story. “There was so much to say,” she wrote. “To recount. But instead, we cried.”
Then Vernon revealed to Ann-Margret what Elvis hadn’t had time to tell her.
Ann-Margret wrote: “He was so proud of you,” said Vernon softly.
The ensuing funeral was an emotional experience for everyone involved. Tens of thousands of fans lined the streets outside Graceland and attended King’s coffin to pay their respects. His ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, comforted those who knew King well, as did their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
Since the funeral, Ann-Margret hasn’t spoken much about Elvis. She revealed, “We were together for a year and he trusted me. And I don’t want to betray his trust to death.”
Anne-Margret went on to add: “There is so much writing that has been so negative about him that I want to celebrate his life [and] The man I knew.”
Ann-Margret’s devotion to Elvis isn’t surprising, given how strong their love affair was back in 1964. She once called him his “soul mate.”
The star added, “We both felt a current, an electricity running right through us…it would become a force we couldn’t control.”
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