Priscilla Presley: Always Evolving

We may know things about peoples, but that doesn’t mean we know what’s in their hearts or understand their journey. That’s true for all of us, but especially celebrities who are the subject of so much hearsay and gossip. It’s important to remember that speculation isn’t fact and rumors aren’t the truth and both can be destructive.

For instance, the public knows Priscilla Presley as the only wife of Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock and Roll” and the mother of their only child, Lisa Marie Presley, who was once married to Michael Jackson. But what else do we really know about her?

We know she spent five years acting on the hit nighttime drama Dallas, and she showed off her comedic talent in the three Naked Gun films. We might also know she is an astute businesswoman who had her own line of fragrances, bed linens and jewelry.

But for the most part, we don’t know a lot about Priscilla Presley because she has been fiercely protective of her and her children’s privacy (in addition to Lisa Marie, she has a son, Navarone), which is understandable considering she was thrust into the harsh spotlight at a young age, and her daughter Lisa Marie has been unfairly sensationalized, scrutinized, and criticized by the paparazzi since she was a child.

When the Nevada Ballet Theater honored Priscilla as their “Woman of the Year” in 2011 because of her contribution to the performing arts, her philanthropic work, and her connection to the Las Vegas community, I arranged to interview her for Luxury Las Vegas magazine.

Cirque du Soleil had opened a new show here in Las Vegas called Viva Elvis, a high-energy fusion of dance, acrobatics and live music as a tribute to the King, and I learned that Priscilla was a consultant on the project. (The show closed in August 2012.)

After reading her autobiography, Elvis and Me, I learned she was the daughter of an Air Force officer, who had to move from one military base to another every two or three years. When she found out the family was going to move yet again from Texas to Germany, Priscilla was devastated. It’s hard changing schools and having to make new friends, but moving to a foreign country with different customs and a different language can be traumatic, especially for a teenager.

Little did 14-year-old Priscilla know it was in Germany that she would meet the 24-year-old rock n’ roll legend, Elvis Presley, who was finishing up his last six months of duty in the Army. What we think of as misfortune, can turn out to be life changing in a positive way.

So was it fate, destiny, luck, Karma, or simply Priscilla’s youthful beauty and innocence that captivated Elvis heart?

In her autobiography Priscilla candidly talks about the couple’s seven-and-a-half year courtship and how Elvis molded her to look and act like the woman he wanted her to be. On May 1, 1967, millions of girls’ fantasies were crushed when the King of Rock and Roll married his bride at the Aladdin Hotel (now Planet Hollywood) in Las Vegas. Nine months later on February 1, 1968, Lisa Marie was born.

The photos in this video will take you down memory lane.

Fairy tales don’t always have a happy ending. Priscilla learned that fame is a double-edged sword. She had her prince, but she paid a high price. Six years after their wedding and 14 years after they first met, Priscilla walked away from the marriage.

On October 9, 1973, news of their divorce made headlines around the world. At 28-years-old Priscilla was in charge of her life for the first time. Perhaps the greatest testament to their love was the fact that they remained friends after they split.

After Priscilla left Elvis, she embarked on a transformational journey that led her to develop her own identity, discover her talents, and distinguish herself as an actress, author, producer, businesswoman, philanthropist, and environmental and animal rights activist.

I had the pleasure of talking with Priscilla for three hours over the course of two days. It was obvious during our conversation that we both felt deeply about protecting the planet and helping humanity. Priscilla is soft-spoken, but she speaks up about the things she is passionate about.

When I asked her what makes her angry, she didn’t hesitate. Here is a portion of what she had to say.

“The beautiful parks are for everyone to use, but there are those few who abuse them. When people see litter, most times they’re like, ‘I didn’t do it so I’m not going to pick it up.’ Well guess what? It’s your responsibility because the other people are gone and we want it to look nice. We need to teach our children that it’s a cooperative effort. It’s about all of us working together. Everything has to be an accumulative effect. We get sloppy or lazy and throw something on the ground and the next person does the same thing. That’s what destroys the beauty of nature.

“Genetically-modified food also makes me angry. Our choices are being made for us by big corporations. It’s frightening! There are countries in Europe that have banned GMOs. Why haven’t we? We must protect the environment. In my garden, we don’t use insecticides or pesticides, and the fruit tastes so much better. We use gray water and we used lumber that was certified green when we remodeled the house. And I plan on getting solar.

“People don’t understand the ramifications because they are disconnected from their environment. I don’t want to come across as condescending, but I want to wake people up to what’s happening. Someone has to deliver the message. I gave a lecture once and poured my heart out about how we need to find what we’re passionate about, whether it’s the elderly or education, and get involved.

Afterward, I had a book signing and a group of ladies came up and said it was a great talk. I said, ‘Thank you. Don’t forget you have to have a voice. Find what you’re passionate about and do something.’ And one woman said, ‘Oh no, we have you.’ My mouth fell open. I thought I was pretty clear that we all have to take part. It’s amazing how people don’t want to take responsibility. They want somebody else to do it for them.”

We talked about what words of wisdom she lives by. She said:

Less is more. I live in a beautiful house and drive a nice car, but I don’t need multiple homes and possessions scattered all over. Some houses are like castles. I call them ‘monuments to excess.’ How much do you need? More things don’t bring you happiness. If anything they bring you less because you’re got more to worry about.”

“We’re such a consumer society. I look at things and ask myself if I really need that. I don’t know if it’s something that happens as you get older, but I’m really content with less. When you simplify your life there is such peace of mind and you appreciate the simple things that bring you pleasure.

“Possessions are temporary…it’s about being comfortable with who you are. When you are content with yourself, you don’t have to prove anything or compete with anyone. It’s not about getting, it’s about giving.”

For ten years Priscilla has been a spokeswoman for the Dream Foundation, which is the only organization that helps dreams come true for adults with life threatening illnesses.

Priscilla also did a very brave thing when she appeared on Dancing with the Stars. I’ve had my own ballroom dance experience, which I wrote about in another post called I Could Have Danced All Night.

I applaud Priscilla because I know first-hand the long hours and hard work it takes to make a dance look elegant and effortless. It’s especially poignant because she and her partner Louis van Amstel are dancing to Elvis singing the song “Surrender.” It’s as if he was watching over her.

Priscilla has such a kind, sensitive, caring spirit, and a tremendous compassion for humanity. You can read my full interview with Priscilla as it appeared in Luxury Las Vegas Magazine by going to Up Close and Personal with Priscilla Presley.

SAD NEWS UPDATE

Lisa Marie Presley passed away on January 12, 2023 at the age of 54. She never got over the death of her son Benjamin Keough, who committed suicide on July 12, 2020 at the age of 27.

Priscilla put out this statement.

“It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us. She was the most passionate strong and loving woman I have ever known. We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers.”

In this video put out by CNN, Lisa Marie talks with Larry King about her relationship with her father. She said when he kissed her for the last time in 1977, when she was nine, she knew something terrible was going to happen. She said she has been obsessed with death from a very early age.

Rest in Peace Lisa Marie. You are at peace reunited with your father and your son.