Priscilla on being with Elvis Presley at age 14 while he was 24; addressed ‘grooming’ as a teen

Priscilla and Elvis Presley’s relationship was an iconic love story that began in 1959 when she was just 14 and he was 24. Their connection deepened over the years, and they married in 1967. The couple shared a passionate and tumultuous bond, marked by the birth of their daughter, Lisa Marie, in 1968. However, the pressures of fame and their demanding careers took a toll on their marriage, leading to their divorce in 1973. Despite their separation, they maintained a close friendship until Elvis’s untimely death in 1977, leaving an enduring legacy as one of the most celebrated couples in music history.

Priscilla Presley opens up about ‘grooming’ in teens

Priscilla Presley has recently addressed rumors of her own teenage years with Elvis Presley during an interview for Talk TV’s Piers Morgan Uncensored. Priscilla told Piers Morgan, “When I first started dating him or, he would call my parents to see if I could come over just on the weekends, you know, maybe Friday, maybe Saturday. That whole, I mean, part of my life was getting to know him, but the question was ‘Why me? Why is he drawn to me? Why is he asking my mother and father if it was OK if I would go visit?’. When I put all the pieces together, it’s because I was the listener. I was the one that he trusted more, I think, than anyone, and I honored that and I would never give that up. I never told kids at school that I was seeing him. No one even knew, because I valued that trust.”

When Morgan inquired about Priscilla’s perspective on the criticisms that have arisen regarding the appropriateness of her relationship with Elvis due to their age difference when they first got together, and whether people have suggested that Elvis had groomed her during that time, she said, “It was a different time, it was the early ’60s.”

She continued, “My mother would dress up for my father every day. When he came home from work, she was dressed up and women were that way. Not that it was just for our men, but we took care of ourselves and we wanted to be — when I say we, I include myself. My mother respected my father.”

Priscilla further explains that during that era, women primarily wore dresses and not pants. She adds that Elvis would take her shopping to ensure she had the appropriate attire for their dates. 

“I don’t know about grooming me, I didn’t take it at that. I never heard the word, I mean obviously it’s all new now but, you know, he loved to take me to beautiful stores to buy me an outfit. I didn’t have any money and he would take me to the movies every night. That’s when you dressed up and he wanted me to look good and not feel bad,” she said.

Priscilla further said, “Look, you see what he wore. He would dress up to a T, so he wanted me to be dressed up also.”

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Priscilla and Elvis’ relationship timeline

Priscilla and Elvis tied the knot on May 1, 1967, when Priscilla was 21 years old. She has consistently affirmed that it was on their wedding night that their marriage was consummated, resulting in the conception of their only child, daughter Lisa Marie. Despite their shared history, Priscilla and Elvis eventually parted ways, finalizing their divorce in 1973, prior to the untimely passing of the King of Rock and Roll in 1977.

In this regard, she said, “No one would believe that, but it’s the honest to God truth.”

Priscilla’s relationship with Elvis is deeply delved in Sofia Coppola’s recent film, Priscilla, focusing on the early stages of their romance that started when she was 14 and he was 24. The film which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September provides insights into her family’s complex history and the enduring fascination surrounding her connection to the legendary Elvis Presley.

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