In the past two years, Priscilla Presley’s life has been back in the spotlight. Between 2022 and 2023, only two films were made with Elvis Presley as the subject: Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-winning “Elvis” and Sophia Coppola’s “Priscilla” – the latter of which was based on Priscilla’s 1985 memoir, ” Elvis and Me. ” The film stars Jacob Elordi as the King of Rock and Roll, with Cailee Spaeny portraying Priscilla from age 14 to 27, the ages she was romantically involved with Elvis. “Priscilla” is a personal and close to Presley’s early relationship and marriage to Elvis, which has often overshadowed the late singer’s fame. “It’s very difficult to sit and watch a film about you, about your life, about your love,” Priscilla said at a press conference in September at the Venice Film Festival premiere of “Priscilla” (via Variety ). “Sofia did an amazing job. She did her homework, we talked a couple of hours, and I put out everything I could.”
Priscilla met Elvis in 1959, when she was 14 years old and he was a 24-year-old military intelligence specialist based in Germany, according to People. The two had a long-distance relationship for four years, before Priscilla moved in with Elvis at his Graceland estate in 1963. Elvis proposed in 1966, and the two married on May 1, 1967. Less than a year after that, the couple welcomed their only child, Lisa Marie Presley, on February 1, 1968. Priscilla and Elvis were married for four years before she broke off the marriage in February 1972, and the divorce was finalized in August of that year. Despite ending their relationship, Priscilla and Elvis remained close friends until the singer’s death in 1977.
After Elvis’ death, Priscilla had a successful career of her own and was romantically linked to a number of celebrities throughout the 1970s and 1980s, from Robert Kardashian to Richard Gere. Here’s a look at Priscilla’s life after Elvis and where she is today.
What happened to Priscilla Presley after her divorce from Elvis?
After Elvis divorced, Priscilla launched her own business ventures. In 1973, she opened Bis & Beau, a boutique in Los Angeles, with Olivia Bis, a fashion designer who used to dress Priscilla when she was married to Elvis, according to a 1973 interview with Priscilla for Ladies’ Home Journal. When Elvis died in 1977, Priscilla became co-executor of his estate, along with Lisa Marie and Elvis’ father, Vernon Presley. With Graceland costing more to maintain than it took in, Priscilla turned into a tourist attraction in 1982, raising its value from just $1 million to $75 million, as reported by the LA Times.
In the 1980s, Priscilla began her screen career, making her acting debut in the 1983 TV movie “Love Is Forever,” according to IMDb. She notably starred as Jenna Wade in the romantic soap opera “Dallas” from 1983 to 1988, as well as Jane Spencer in the film series Naked Gun. In addition to her acting gigs, Priscilla wrote her first book, a memoir titled “Elvis and Me,” which hit the shelves in 1985. It was a New York Times bestseller. ‘ in the book and was the basis for “Priscilla.” She also contributed to David Ritz’s 2006 book, “Elvis by the Presleys,” with daughter Lisa Marie.
Outside of her business ventures, Priscilla has had some notable romances since Elvis. After splitting from the King of Rock and Roll in 1972, she dated martial arts instructor Michael Stone until 1975, according to Us Weekly. From 1975 to 1976, she briefly dated Robert Kardashian, and after their divorce, she was in a relationship with actor and model Michael Edwards from 1978 to 1984. In the early 1980s, she met screenwriter Marco Garibaldi through a mutual friend, and the pair were twins from 1984 to 2006, as reported by Biography. They had a son, Navarone Garcia, in 1987.
Where is Priscilla Presley now?
Today, Priscilla lives in California. Her only daughter with Elvis, Lisa Marie, died tragically of complications from a bowel obstruction on January 12.
The news of Lisa Marie’s death sparked media reports that Priscilla and her granddaughter Riley Keough were in a heated battle over Lisa Marie’s estate, Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), although the two reached a settlement agreement in May, according to the LA Times. She openly praised “Elvis” Luhrmann and attended several red carpet premieres and did interviews about the film.
Priscilla was also an executive producer for “Priscilla” and works to keep her late husband’s legacy alive. On the 45th anniversary of Elvis’ death in August 2022, she held a candlelight vigil at Graceland attended by more than 30,000 people, according to TODAY.
Catch “Priscilla” in theaters now, and watch the trailer below.
