Priscilla Presley is more than just a footnote in the story of Elvis Presley; she is a trailblazer, a style icon, and a cultural figure who has carved out her own legacy. From her early life as a military child to becoming the wife of the King of Rock and Roll, Priscilla’s life has been filled with love, challenges, and reinvention. After her divorce, she transformed herself into a successful business woman and actress while tirelessly working to preserve Elvis’ legacy.
Early Life
Born Priscilla Ann Wagner on the 24th May 1945 in Brooklyn, New York, Priscilla Presley is an American actress and businesswoman best known for her marriage to Elvis. Her father, James Wagner, a U.S. Navy pilot, tragically passed away in a plane crash when she was just a few months old. Her mother, Ann, later married U.S. Air Force officer Paul Beaulieu, who adopted Priscilla, leading to her being known as Priscilla Beaulieu. Due to her stepfather’s military career, the family moved frequently, eventually being stationed in West Germany.
When they arrived in Germany, Priscilla and her family stayed at the Helene Hotel, but this quickly became a financial burden. After three months at the hotel, the Beaulius looked for another place to rent. They settled into an apartment in a large vintage building constructed way before World War I. Soon after they moved in, they realised the building operated as a brother, but housing was in short supply so they had little choice but to remain.
Meeting Elvis
In 1959, at the age of 14, Priscilla met Elvis at a party, who was serving in the U.S. Army in Germany. Her presence is said to have made him “awkward” and “embarrassed,” but he composed himself by the end of the evening. Her late return from the party upset her parents, resulting in them insisting she never meet Elvis again. However, after he promised to never bring her home late again, and after seeing his eagerness to see her again led Priscilla’s parents to relent. Following this, Elvis and Priscilla were frequently seen together until he left West Germany on the 2nd of March 1960.
Despite their age difference – Elvis was 24 – the two developed a close relationship. After Elvis returned to the United States in 1960, they stayed in contact with letters and telephone calls. Priscilla was inundated with requests for media interviews from around the world,. She also received positive and negative fan mail from Elvis’s fans, and mail from “Lonesome G.I’s.” Gossip was spreading about Elvis’s romance with Nancy Sinatra, Priscilla was convinced that her romance with Elvis was over and that she would never see him again.
Although they kept in touch, Priscilla did not see each other again until the summer of 1962, when her parents agreed to let her visit for two weeks. They agreed on the condition that Elvis pay for her first class return ticket, she was chaperoned at all times, and that she write to her parents everyday. Elvis agreed and Priscilla flew to Los Angeles. Elvis then took her to Las Vegas, and to avoid trouble with her parents had her write a postcard for everyday that she was away, which were mailed by a member of his staff. It was on this trip that she first experimented with amphetamines and sleeping pills to keep up with Elvis’s lifestyle.
Whenever they tried to stop us from seeing each other, I pleaded and cried and made them and myself miserable.
Priscilla on her mother and stepfather’s feeling on her relationship with Elvis
After another visit at Christmas, in 1963, with her parents’ permission, Priscilla moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to be closer to Elvis. Part of the agreement was that they would eventually marry. She was to finish high school, and live with Elvis’s father and stepmother in a separate house a few streets away from Graceland until she graduated the following May. However, according to her autobiography, she spent entire nights at Graceland and gradually moved her belongings there.
Priscilla was keen to spend time with Elvis in Hollywood, but he told her he was busy and had her remain in Memphis. During their time apart, she read of an affair between Elvis and his Viva Las Vegas co-star Ann Margaret. Priscilla confronted him, who said the reports were rumours to promote the film, telling her to not trust the press. Over the following years, Elvis has numerous intimate relationships with co-stars, but denied them to Priscilla. Eventually she began to visit him in Hollywood, but her visits remained short.
On the 1st of May, 1967, Priscilla and Elvis married in a private ceremony at the Aladdin hotel in Las Vegas. The wedding was brief, followed by a press conference and a reception attended by close friends and family, as well as business associates from MGM, RCA, and the William Morris Agency. Priscilla wore a white silk chiffon gown with a beaded neckline and sleeves, complimented by a three-foot tulle veil held with a rhinestone tiara.
Following the reception, the newlyweds boarded a private jet and enjoyed a short honeymoon in Palm Springs. On 4th of May, they returned to Memphis to their private ranch, just over the Mississippi state line, for a three week break. Many of Elvis’s inner circle joined them, although they were mostly alone and able to enjoy each other’s company. In an attempt to heal rifts with Elvis’s friends who weren’t invited to the wedding ceremony, Priscilla and Elvis held another reception at Graceland on the 29th of May for those that were unable to attend the original ceremony.
Soon after, Priscilla discovered she was pregnant. She was upset aa]t such an early pregnancy, as she was certain it would destroy the closeness that they finally had together. She had asked if she could take birth control, but Elvis insisted they were not safe yet. She considered an abortion, and even discussed it with her husband, but both decided they could not live with themselves. The couple welcomed their only child, Lisa Marie Presley, on the 1st of February, 1968, exactly 9 months after they were wed.
Divorce and life after Elvis
The beginning [of the marriage] was very difficult, but I knew what I was in for because I saw it at a very young age.
Priscilla on her marriage
Around the time her husband was filming Live a Little, Love a Little in 1968, Priscilla began taking private dance lessons from she instructor Mark. She was deeply attracted to him, which resulted in a short affair. Priscilla was regretful at her actions, and came out of it realising she needed more from her relationship with Elvis,
Despite the public perception of a fairytale marriage, Priscilla and Elvis faced numerous challenges. Elvis’s demanding career and lifestyle, along with infidelities on both sides, strained their relationship. Priscilla also sought her own identity beyond being Elvis’s wife. In her 1985 memoir, “Elvis and Me,” she detailed their complex marriage, and stated Elvis had been controlling over her appearance and behavior. Elvis has mentioned to her before they were married, that he had never been able to make love to a woman who had a child, which added to their dysfunctional relationship and greatly affected Priscilla. The couple separated in February 1972 and finalised their divorce on the 9th of October 1973, but remained on good terms, co-parenting Lisa Marie.
I did not divorce him because I didn’t love him. He was the love of my life, but I had to find out about the world.
Priscilla on her divorce from Elvis.
Following the divorce, Priscilla undertook a journey of self-discovery and professional development. She studied acting, securing roles in television series such as “Dallas” where she played Jenna Wade from 1983 to 1988, and in the “Naked Gun” film series as Jane Spencer. In 1979, after Elvis’s death in 1977, Priscilla became co-executor of his estate, Graceland. Facing financial difficulties, she made the decision to open Graceland to the public in 1982, transforming it into a profitable tourist destination and preserving Elvis’s legacy.
Though she never remarried, she had romantic relationships after her divorce from Elvis. Immediately afterwards, she lived with karate instructor Mike Stone, who she had an affair with previously, but the relationship ended by 1975. In 1978, Priscilla has a live-in relationship with model Michael Edward’s, but this also ended when he began to have feelings for the teenage Lisa Marie.
Her longest romantic relationship has been with Brazilian screenwriter-turned-computer-programmer Marco Garibaldi who she lived with for 22 years. They were introduced in 1984 by a mutual friend after he read a script that she had read, hoping to produce. They had a son, Navarone Garibaldi, who was born on the 1st of March 1987. In 2006, they ended their relationship.
Priscilla’s influence
Priscilla’s influence extends beyond her business ventures; she has made significant cultural and fashion contributions. During her marriage to Elvis, she became a style icon, known for her voluminous bouffant hairstyle, dramatic winged eyeliner, and chic fashion choices. Her wedding dress remains iconic and has been recreated in various films and media. In the 1970s, she co-founded the clothing boutique Bis & Beau in Los Angeles with her friend and stylist Olivia Bis, which attracted celebrity clientele and showed her taste in fashion.
After the separation, I had to make up my mind about what I wanted to do, and since I had worked with Olivia for such a long time on my own clothes, I decided to try it professionally. We both do the designing for the shop, and have people who sew for us.
Priscilla Presley at the opening of Beau and Bis, 1973
The legacy of Priscilla
Priscilla’s style continues to inspire contemporary fashion and beauty trends. The release of the 2023 biopic “Priscilla,” directed by Sofia Coppola, renewed interest in her aesthetic, leading to a resurgence in popularity of 1960s looks. Designers and brands have drawn inspiration from her signature style, incorporating elements such as bold eyeliner, bouffant hairstyles, and vintage clothing into modern collections.
Throughout her life, Priscilla has been dedicated to preserving and promoting Elvis’s legacy. She has been involved in various projects, including documentaries and biopics, that explore their life together. Her efforts have ensured that Elvis’s influence endures across generations.
In recent years, Priscilla has face personal challenges, including the death of her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley in January 2023. Despite these hardships, she is still active in the entertainment industry and she continues to be a prominent figure in popular culture. Her enduring impact on fashion, film, and music underscores her status as a cultural icon.