In 1959, the story of Elvis and Priscilla started. Elvis was 24 years old, serving in the U.S. Army in West Germany, while Priscilla was only 14 years old at that time and was living there because her stepfather was stationed in the Air Force.
Even though there was a 10-year age gap, they spent a lot of time together during Elvis’s stay in Germany. When Elvis moved back to the United States in 1960, they stayed in touch through letters and phone calls. Eventually, Priscilla’s parents agreed to let her move to Memphis, Tennessee, to finish high school while living at Elvis’s home, Graceland.
During this time, Elvis began influencing her hair, her makeup, and even her wardrobe to fit his ideal vision.
After dating for over seven years, Elvis and Priscilla got married on May 1, 1967. They wanted to avoid the media, so they planned a secret ceremony in Las Vegas. They flew into the city on a private jet at 4:00 a.m. to stay hidden from reporters.
The wedding took place in a private suite at the Aladdin Hotel. It was a very short ceremony, lasting only about eight minutes. There were only 14 guests in the room.
Priscilla wore a white silk organza gown she had bought off the rack, paired with a three-foot tulle veil and a rhinestone tiara. The reception featured a massive six-tier cake that cost $3,200. Their first dance as husband and wife was to Elvis’s iconic Love Me Tender.
Exactly nine months after their wedding, the couple had their only child, Lisa Marie Presley, born on February 1, 1968.
During their marriage, Priscilla lived a very controlled life. Elvis liked to choose her clothes, her makeup, and even how she wore her hair. She later said she felt like his living doll because she spent all her time trying to please him and to live in his world.
The marriage began to struggle as the years went by. Elvis was often away filming movies or touring, and both of them eventually had affairs with other people. In 1972, Priscilla decided to leave the marriage so she could find out who she was as an individual.
Their divorce was finalized in October 1973. Unlike many celebrity breakups, it was very friendly. They remained close friends for the rest of Elvis’s life and shared custody of their daughter.
Elvis died in 1977, but Priscilla has spent the rest of her life keeping his memory alive. Even though their marriage didn’t last, she has always called him the love of her life. Their relationship remains one of the most famous stories in pop culture history.
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