Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Priscilla & Elvis


On September 13, 1959, Priscilla and Elvis met in Bad Nauheim, Germany while he was serving in the Army. Priscilla was 14 years old and Elvis 24 years of age, Elvis was unaware that she was only 14 when they met due to how she behaved and how she was dressed. It is said that in their first meeting Elvis became a shy, boy next door but by the end of the evening had finally found his composure.
 
Elvis and Priscilla continued to spend time together  while he was stationed in Germany. Priscilla's parents had apprehensions about letting Priscilla hang out with Elvis at his home but Elvis assured them that there would always be chaperones. They continues to spend time together until he left Germany on March 2, 1960. That is when a large part of the world found out that Priscilla even existed. When Elvis left Germany she accompanied him to his final plane that would take him back to the United States. A large crowd had gathered outside the fence to see Elvis off.
 
 
When Elvis returned to Graceland March 7, 1960 he addressed the questions about Priscilla.
During the press conference, Elvis completely down played his relationship with young Priscilla.

Two years would go by before Priscilla would see Elvis again. The only communication they had over the two years was letters and irregular phone conversations. In March of 1962, Elvis called Priscilla and asked her to join him in Los Angeles. While she was overjoyed to join him her parents were less than thrilled to and reluctant to let her go. Priscilla's father made of list of requirements and once Elvis agreed to them she was allowed to visit for two weeks. That June she arrived in Los Angeles and a day later Elvis took her to Las Vegas. They spent twelve days together and enjoyed every minute of it.
In Los Angeles

Priscilla would only have to wait 6 months to see Elvis again because he had invited her to Graceland for Christmas. They enjoyed the holiday together and once again Priscilla went back to Germany where her family was still stationed. Priscilla was now 16 years old and in the middle of high school. If her parents thought the previous two trips to America were hard on their family, they were in for a new awakening. In 1963, Elvis was convinced that Priscilla needed to move to Memphis and finish school there. Elvis invited her father to Los Angeles (he was filming a movie) and asked him to allow her to move to Memphis. Her father agreed after a long set of rules were laid out and Elvis confessed how much he cared for her. That fall Priscilla moved in with Elvis' father Vernon and sought out to finish school.

Shortly before Christmas 1966, Elvis asked Priscilla to marry him and slipped a 3 1/2 ct. diamond on her hand. They were married on May 1, 1967 at the Aladdin Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas (now Planet Hollywood).
 
The ceremony was short and didn't even include some of his closest friends. The ceremony lasted 8 minutes and was followed by a $10,000.00 breakfast. Elvis' manager Col. Parker wanted to maximize publicity for the event and invited the record label and associates. Once the reception was over, Elvis and Priscilla boarded a private jet for Palm Springs, California.
Once they left Palm Springs, they returned to Memphis for a 3 week break and spent time on his Circle G Ranch. Shortly after their honeymoon, Priscilla realized she was expecting. Afraid of such an early pregnancy, Priscilla told Elvis the news and nine months to the day they were married their only child Lisa Marie Presley was born.
 
Elvis and Priscilla remained together in tough times and through multiple rumors of cheating. However, their marriage had ended and they separated February 1972. Priscilla admitted that she had involved herself in an affair but still cared for Elvis deeply. The divorce was final October 9, 1973. Elvis and Priscilla remained extremely close after the divorce and even walked out of the courthouse holding hands.
 
Once they divorced, Priscilla started her own careers. For a few years she owned a clothing store that was successful, she began acting and would later become the executor for their daughter who at the time of his death was 9 years old. Priscilla took over Graceland and helped turn it out of financial debt. Thanks to her we still have Graceland!

4 comments:

elle jo said...

Visiting from Authentic Bloggers

Love this background, but she does not look like she’s 14 or 16 in any of these pictures she looks so mature..

liz @ sundays with sophie

Unknown said...

Love this run down of Elvis. My dad and I are huge fans. When I recently told my dad I was engaged, he asked if I was finally going to get hitched by Elvis. Ha Ha!

Tessa said...

What an interesting story. I love Elvis!

Tessa said...

I love Elvis, and what a nice story.