Priscilla Presley bio- Mother of Lisa Marie Presley

Who is Priscilla Presley?

Priscilla Presley is an American actor and entrepreneur who married the cultural icon and rock-and-roll king, Elvis Presley. Priscilla was very protected and kept in the shadows by Elvis for a long time.

It was after their divorce that Priscilla started living a more celebrity-style life.

The name Priscilla means “ancient or primordial” in Latin. 

Today, Priscilla is a strong and independent woman. She is a veteran actress and a successful entrepreneur that many people admire. The beautiful and talented diva has acting credits in movies like ‘Naked Gun’ and many more.

Priscilla has also been very successful in her business ventures. She was the former president of Elvis Presley Enterprises. The company turned Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion into a top tourist attraction.

Today we are going deep into the life of Priscilla Presley. Get ready to learn everything there is to know about this powerful diva. It includes her personal life, whereabouts, and her relationship with Elvis.

quick facts

Childhood

Priscilla Presley was born in Brooklyn, New York, on May 24, 1945, to James Wagner and Anna Lillian Iversen. Her maiden name is Priscilla Ann Wagner.

Priscilla’s stepfather was in the air force; as a result, they had to move to a lot of places. However, she had a memorable childhood in Connecticut, New Mexico, Maine, and Texas. However, it was uneasy for a shy young Priscilla to continually move from place to place.

The wife of Elvis Presley moved to Germany with her parents when she was 11 years old and did her schooling. Eventually, it is where she met Elvis at a party in Bad Nauheim, Germany, in 1959. Priscilla has been fond of dancing and modeling since her childhood. She always wanted to have a career in Hollywood.

family

On August 10, 1944, when James Wagner and Anna were 23 years old, he married Priscilla’s mother, Anna Lillian Iversen. James and Anna had dated for more than three years.

James Wagner

James Wagner is the biological father of Priscilla Presley, a navy pilot. He graduated from Colestock High School in Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1940. 

In early 1943, he served in a submarine as a storekeeper third class on the USS Beaver AS-5.

Additionally, he served in the navy and was assigned to the new aircraft carrier’s air wing, the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CVB-42.

Anna Lillian Iversen

Anna Lilian Iversen was born on March 13th, 1926, to Albert Henry Davis and Lorraine Davis. She is of Scott-Irish and English decedent. Anna fell in love with James at a very young age and married pretty soon. As James was in the navy, Anna had to take care of their child.

After James’ unfortunate death, life was hard for Anna and her daughter, Priscilla. In 1948 Anna met a U.S. Airforce officer, Paul Beaulieu. He was from Quebec, Canada. The pair married within a year of dating, and together they raised Priscilla.

Relationships

Priscilla Presley met Elvis Presley in Germany on September 13, 1959. He was serving in the army. However, Priscilla was only 14. Interestingly, Elvis Presley was already a music sensation.

They started spending a lot of time together. Then, in 1960, Elvis left West Germany, which seemed to end their relationship. There was a rumor of his affair with Nancy Sinatra.

After Elvis’s departure, Priscilla received a lot of interview requests from the media. As a result, she became famous and received lots of letters from Elvis’s fans. Also, Elvis stayed in touch with Priscilla.

In the summer of 1962, Priscilla’s parents allowed her to visit Elvis under certain conditions. The conditions were that Elvis had to pay for a first-class round trip with a chaperone throughout the journey, and Priscilla had to write home every day. Elvis quickly agreed to all the conditions, and Priscilla met Elvis after a long time in LA.

Elvis Presley

The couple married on May 1st, 1967, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. The wedding was highly publicized, and Colonel Tom Parker had arranged the event. The wedding featured minimal guests and was over in only eight minutes.

Priscilla’s wedding look is famous today. She looked utterly mesmerizing on her special day. Many of Elvis’s closest friends were not invited to the wedding ceremony, which caused friction.

Related: Elvis Presley biography

The following day the pair held a press conference and a massive $10,000 breakfast reception. The couple’s friends, family, and business associates from MGM and RCA attended the event.

Following the wedding reception, the newlyweds boarded a private plane for a short honeymoon in Palm Springs. On May 4th, they returned to their private ranch and spent time with each other. The couple took a break from their busy lifestyle to enjoy each other’s company.

Soon after their wonderful marriage, the news of Priscilla’s pregnancy started spreading. Priscilla, who got married very young, did not expect to raise a child so soon.

At one point, Priscilla was pretty upset by the news. She thought it could lead to problems in her marriage.

Priscilla had previously asked Elvis about birth control pills, but he insisted they didn’t need them. The psychological pressure of being pregnant at a very young age had taken a toll on Priscilla.

After some time of their marriage, Priscilla did get pregnant. They considered abortion at one point, but both concluded against that decision. Their only child, Lisa Marie, was born nine months after their wedding on February 1st.

divorce with Elvis Presley

Elvis had told Priscilla that he would never make love to a woman who had given birth before their marriage. This painful confession of Elvis always hurt Priscilla. Following his statement, Elvis started having affairs with other women after Priscilla gave birth to their daughter.

Feeling lonely and uncared for, Priscilla started seeing other men, too. The affairs slowly killed their marriage.

Priscilla soon fell in love with her karate instructor Mike Stone. She confronted Elvis about her newfound love.

Elvis didn’t take the news positively and hired a hitman to kill Mike. Fortunately, Priscilla and his friend convinced him not to do the heinous deed.

They agreed to get a divorce, and it got finalized on October 9th, 1973. In an interview, Priscilla stated,

“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.”

The pair shared custody of their daughter Lisa Marie.

Priscilla Presley dating after the divorce

Following the tragic divorce, Elvis and Priscilla decided to remain friends always. They moved on with their lives and dated different people after that. Priscilla dated Mike Stone for a while, but that didn’t last long.

Priscilla met Marco Garibaldi, whom she dated for more than 20 years. They ended their relationship in 2006. They have a son together.

She is still beautiful even at the age of 78. She was romantically involved with many men. However, most of her relationships were platonic.

children

Lisa Marie Presley

Lisa Marie is Elvis Presley’s only child. The 44-year-old singer-songwriter and mother of four is doing great in her music career. Lisa has issued three successful albums till now and is working on her new projects.

Lisa Marie Presley still owns Graceland. She retains 100% sole ownership of Graceland Mansion. The mansion was once the home of Elvis Presley, and now Lisa manages it.

Elvis Presley’s costumes, awards, furniture, cars, and instruments are kept safely in the mansion. After the tragic demise of Elvis, his family buried him on the premises of Graceland.

Related: Lisa Marie Presley marriages and children

The land holds all the memories and legacy of Elvis Presley. His daughter is determined to protect and preserve those memories for eternity.

She passed away in January 2023.

Navarone Garibaldi

Navarone Garibaldi is the son of Marco Garibaldi, who Priscilla dated from 1984 to 2006.

Navarone is a 33-year-old musician. He is the frontman of ‘Them Guns,’ a group based in Los Angeles. His music career seems to be going well.

The Guns have written songs for a movie starring Kiefer Sutherland’s daughter Sarah. According to Priscilla Presley, Navarone doesn’t need family connections to make it big in the music industry. He is doing great on his own.

Priscilla Presley Elvis Presley’s death

Despite their divorce, Priscilla always loved Elvis. Their marriage failed, but that didn’t mean she didn’t care for him anymore.

Pricilla was devastated when Elvis left the world on August 16th, 1977. She didn’t want to live anymore. But with the support from her family and loved ones, she slowly accepted his death and moved on.

There was a side of Elvis that was unknown to the world.

As a result of the recent release of Elvis, many fans have been recalling their favorite moments. Unfortunately for some, the late Elvis Presley’s former wife, Priscilla Presley, was interviewed by Barbara Walters on Twitter.

A Twitter thread breaks down key elements of the interview, revealing eerie truths about the couple. For example, when Priscilla discusses their early relationship, she is asked, “You were 14 years old, Elvis was 24 years old; how did your parents allow a 14-year-old… baby to be with this then, superstar?”

Walter’s implication – that Priscilla had manipulated her – seems lost on Priscilla. Elvis was “charming” and won her over, even if it meant missing school days so she could be with the man.

“I don’t know what it was, but he kinda took me under his arm,” the woman explained, explaining that her relationship with him was “very protective.”

When she was 15 years old, Elvis convinced her to move in with him, resulting in a pill-ridden life controlled by him. She begins to drift off when Walters asks her about being introduced to pills by Elvis. As she scratches her face, she says: “It was cold, and it was dark, and it could get really lonely.”

Priscilla makes excuses for those around her during the interview by saying, “In my parent’s defense,” which implies she is the one who is wrong for wanting to date a superstar at the naive age of 14.

 Is all evidence of a predatory, abusive partner grooming a young person? One example would be winning over a 14-year-old parent and getting him to skip school. And using drugs underage. She even victim blames herself for others’ actions throughout the conversation. For example, in 1985, she explained to FA: “He molded me into his woman. I wore his carefully chosen clothes, hairstyle, and makeup.”

The Elvis she knew was very different from the world’s image of the lively entertainer. Instead, he lived his life in a cocoon, as Priscilla called it, and where most women assumed she was enjoying the most refined life with her A-list partner, she was lonely, manipulated, and isolated.

Watch the interview above to hear her story.

career

Priscilla was famous as Elvis’s ex-wife. However, a Hollywood producer, Hal B. Wallis, who produced many of Elvis’s earlier films,  was interested in signing Priscilla. However, Elvis thought a woman needed to be home cooking, even though Priscilla was interested in modeling and dancing. 

However, after divorcing him, she debuted as a co-host for a television show called ‘Those Amazing Animals’ in 1980. 

She also starred in multiple movies and television series. 

filmography

Priscilla Presley charity

Priscilla has been the Ambassador of the Dream Foundation since 2003. 

She also speaks out against the Tennesse Ag-Gag Bill and expresses her concern that the bill would hinder animal cruelty investigations. She cited her and her ex-husband’s love for horses and said the legislation would reduce protections for horses and other farm animals.

net worth

Priscilla Presley is a successful actress and entrepreneur. She has participated in several business projects.

Her divorce from Elvis left her with half of the income from their shared properties. She also received a portion of his publishing royalties, alimony, and a cash settlement of USD 725,00.

After the sad demise of Elvis Presley and his father, Vernon Presley, Priscilla was deemed as a trustee of Elvis’s estates.

Priscilla created Elvis Presley Enterprise (EPE) with all the estates and properties. She turned most of the estate into tourist attractions.

In 2017, Priscilla opened a USD 45 million attraction at Graceland. It features an Elvis exhibit. The premise also has USD 90 million worth of luxurious hotels.

Priscilla’s acting career has also provided her with numerous successes. However, most of her earnings come from her Graceland endeavors. According to sources, her current net worth is somewhere around USD 50-150 million.

She recently bought a penthouse in Century City, California, for under USD 5 million.

Controversies

In honor of the 45th anniversary of the death of the music icon Elvis Presley, Priscilla Presley shares some brand-new details about the American singer.

In a recent interview, Priscilla Presley revealed that her ex-husband was not fond of the classic Elvis beach movies. She said in an interview, “He really wanted to do serious films.”

It was interesting to hear Priscilla discuss the nature of Elvis’ legacy and her views on the new Baz Luhrmann-directed biopic, “Elvis,” released just a few months ago.

Priscilla shared her frustrations with the character Colonel Tom Parker, depicted in the movie by Tom Hanks as Elvis’ manager in the movie when asked about the most challenging part of watching the film.

The American actress revealed, “He [Parker] did not take Elvis where he wanted to be. And that was hard because I lived it. I lived the arguments they had. I lived Elvis trying to explain that he did not want to do all the movies with all the girls on the beaches. [So] living that with him, and watching the movie, brought back a lot of memories.”

Priscilla praised that Luhrmann’s theatrical take on Elvis’s life brought back memories of the “Falling in love with you” singer as she watched the movie. She said, “I was a little concerned at first when I heard that [Baz] was doing the movie. And at the end, I went, ‘Wow. This is Elvis, truly.’”

Priscilla admitted to making peace with Elvis’ former manager, Parker, despite their past disputes over Elvis’ beach movies participation.

“There was the Colonel who was the manager, and the Colonel who was very sweet. There was the business side to him and the very gentle side to him when he was not working,” she added.

Continuing, “He had to live out what Elvis wanted him to do, which was [to] make him a million dollars. He wanted to live up to what he promised Elvis.”

social media

Priscilla Presley is active on social media platforms. She loves sharing glimpses of her personal life on Instagram. Priscilla is also active on Twitter. She mostly tweets about her venture ‘Graceland’ and keeping Elvis Presley’s legacy alive.

Priscilla also has a Facebook page with over 860k followers. She used this platform to share Elvis’s works.

Priscilla Presley now

Priscilla Presley is living a healthy and happy life supporting her children.

In a recent interview, Priscilla talked about a new Netflix animated show ‘Agent King.’ The lead character will be inspired by Elvis, where the character will be portraying an agent.

The search for the voice of Elvis’s character is still going on. It looks like Priscilla is deeply involved with the project.

Priscilla mostly works on keeping Elvis’ dreams and legacies alive.

FAQs

What is Priscilla Presley’s age?

Born on May 24, 1945, Priscilla Presley is currently 78 years old.

What did Elvis use to do to Priscilla?

After being married to Priscilla, Elvis would bring other women to their bedrooms and watch and film her with them. However, there is no information in the media about whether it was on Priscilla’s consent. In addition, after Priscilla gave birth to their only child, Elvis stopped making love to her, saying he would never be able to love a woman with a child. Elvis cheated on Priscilla multiple times with his leading ladies and co-stars before marriage.

How old was Priscilla when she moved in with Elvis?

Priscilla was only 18 when she moved in with Elvis’s grandmother’s house at Graceland.

How much older was Elvis than Priscilla?

Elvis Presley is ten years older than Priscilla.

Did Priscilla Presley ever remarry?

After divorcing Elvis Presley in 1973, Priscilla became a single mother. She did not remarry anyone; however, she stayed in a relationship with many men throughout her life.

Did Elvis love Priscilla?

Yes, Elvis loved Priscilla. He met Priscilla when he was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. They began dating and had a two-year long-distance relationship. 

Even after the divorce, Elvis and Priscilla remained very close to each other. They even loved and understood each other more after their marriage. They remained close friends till Elvis died. 

Did Elvis really want to marry Priscilla?

Elvis was pressured to marry Priscilla, so he trained her to become his perfect wife. Elvis’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was worried that Elvis would face a potential fallout if he didn’t marry Priscilla.

Who gets Elvis Presley’s royalties?

Elvis’s royalties on recordings before 1987 go to Sony Company. Elvis Presley sold all his recordings to RCA for an influx. Elvis’s royalties after 1973 went to his daughter. However, she sold 85% of the shares of EPE to CKX company.

Did Priscilla Presley get any money from Elvis?

After Elvis Presley’s death, his ex-wife and the mother of his only child, Priscilla, got his fortune, which had already shrunk to USD 5 million by that time. Elvis had left his fortune to his father, grandmother, and daughter, Lisa Marie. Being the child’s mother, she was in charge of Elvis’s estate. 

Who owns Graceland now?

Elvis Presley’s only child, Lisa Marie, owns Graceland.

Did Elvis marry Priscilla at 14?

No, Elvis didn’t marry Priscilla when she was 14 years old. He met her when she was of that age. Elvis married Priscilla when she was 24 years old.

At what age did Priscilla Presley give birth?

Priscilla gave birth to a daughter at the age of 24.

Where is Priscilla Presley today?

Priscilla Presley is alive and well. She is now a businesswoman and a grandmother who promotes her ex-husband’s legacy on social media. Even though her daughter has already taken hold of Graceland, she is still involved as an advisor.

Where will Priscilla be buried?

Priscilla Presley has said she wants to be buried next to her ex-husband, Elvis Presley, at Graceland.

Does Priscilla Presley still have her wedding ring from Elvis?

Yes, Priscilla still has her wedding ring from Elvis Presley. She treasures them till now.

Did Priscilla Presley do her makeup?

Yes, Priscilla Presley did her makeup, as Elvis Presley didn’t like it without her hair, and makeup is done. He had hairdressers sculpt her hair to style it to look like him. And that is everything you need to know about Elvis Presley’s former wife, Priscilla Presley.