Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley’s Relationship Timeline: The Way They Were

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Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley's Relationship Timeline: The Way They Were

Though Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley’s marriage only lasted six years, the pair had a connection unlike any other.

“The beginning [of our marriage] was very difficult, but I knew what I was in for because I saw it at a very young age,” the New York native told the Daily Mail in March 2022. “I found out how vicious people could be. There were rumors I was pregnant, and that’s why he got married and I’m going, ‘Oh, my God, this is not gonna be good for me.’ That's when I started not reading papers anymore or [magazines] in the grocery stores.”

After the pair welcomed their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in February 1968, they eventually went their separate ways amid alleged extramarital affairs on both sides. Elvis and Priscilla officially separated in 1972 and finalized their divorce the following year. In 1977, Elvis died at the age of 42.

Since his death, two films have been made about the music industry's legendary power duo. Director Baz Luhrmann adapted Elvis’ life story into a biopic starring Austin Butler, Elvis, which was released in June 2022. The following year, Priscilla's story was told in Priscilla, Sofia Coppola's adaptation of Priscilla's memoir, Elvis and Me.

Scroll below to relive Elvis and Priscilla’s iconic love story:

Credit: Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley's Relationship Timeline: The Way They Were

Though Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley’s marriage only lasted six years, the pair had a connection unlike any other.

“The beginning [of our marriage] was very difficult, but I knew what I was in for because I saw it at a very young age,” the New York native told the Daily Mail in March 2022. “I found out how vicious people could be. There were rumors I was pregnant, and that’s why he got married and I’m going, ‘Oh, my God, this is not gonna be good for me.’ That's when I started not reading papers anymore or [magazines] in the grocery stores.”

After the pair welcomed their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in February 1968, they eventually went their separate ways amid alleged extramarital affairs on both sides. Elvis and Priscilla officially separated in 1972 and finalized their divorce the following year. In 1977, Elvis died at the age of 42.

Since his death, two films have been made about the music industry's legendary power duo. Director Baz Luhrmann adapted Elvis’ life story into a biopic starring Austin Butler, Elvis, which was released in June 2022. The following year, Priscilla's story was told in Priscilla, Sofia Coppola's adaptation of Priscilla's memoir, Elvis and Me.

Scroll below to relive Elvis and Priscilla’s iconic love story:

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1959

After Elvis exploded on the pop scene, he was forced to take a musical break when he was drafted into the United States Army. While serving a tour of duty in Germany, he met Priscilla when she was a teenager.

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May 1967

The former couple tied the knot eight years later at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas.

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February 1968

The duo welcomed their daughter, Lisa Marie, less than one year after their Vegas nuptials.

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October 1973

While Priscilla and Elvis initially separated in February 1972, their divorce proceedings were finalized nearly one year later.

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August 1977

The “Jailhouse Rock” crooner died at the age of 42 after going into cardiac arrest.

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November 2014

“I remember when I set eyes on him, he was just so kind, so authentic,” Priscilla recalled of her former spouse during an interview with the U.K.’s Daily Mirror. “I just thought how he was the real deal. Elvis wasn’t putting on any pretense, he never did. What you saw with him is what you got. Not everyone knows that. People know his music, but they don’t necessarily know the real Elvis. I want the world to know he was a lovely, loyal man.”

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September 2019

The Dallas alum was an integral part in the production of Luhrmann’s biopic. She told Us Weekly: “I have been involved with Baz. He has come to my home and he has been emailing me. ... He’s keeping me on top of everything. It’s been wonderful. He is a genius.” 

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April 2022

Priscilla, who attended the 2022 Met Gala alongside Butler and the Elvis cast, couldn’t help but gush over the final cut of the film.

“For those curious about the new film ELVIS … the director, provided a private screening for me and [Elvis’ friend] Jerry Schilling at Warner studios recently. This story is about Elvis and [manager] Colonel Parker’s relationship,” the Naked Gun actress wrote via Facebook. “It is a true story told brilliantly and creatively that only Baz, in his unique artistic way, could have delivered. Austin Butler, who played Elvis is outstanding.”

She continued: “Halfway through the film Jerry and I looked at each other and said WOW!!! Bravo to him … he knew he had big shoes to fill. He was extremely nervous playing this part. I can only imagine.”

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June 2022

While looking back at her iconic outfits in a Vogue interview, Priscilla saw a photo of her and Elvis with newborn Lisa Marie at Baptist Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The Dallas alum recalled how nervous Elvis was to have a baby. 

"This is the happy dad. He's looking at her like, 'Oh my gosh, I have a child? What do I do?' He was so afraid to hold her," she recalled. "I think a lot of men feel that way, but he was so frightened that he would drop her or didn't know how to hold her. So this was a really happy time."

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August 2022

Priscilla said the most difficult part of watching the Elvis movie was reliving some of the more difficult fights Elvis had with Colonel Parker. "He wanted to do movies, serious movies, and Colonel Parker probably should have stayed a publicist," she said during an appearance on Today. "He didn’t take Elvis where he wanted to be, and that was hard because I lived it."

She continued: "I lived the arguments that they had, I lived Elvis trying to explain he didn’t want to do the movies with all the girls and the beaches and everything, that he really wanted to do serious things," she continued. "So living that, with him, and watching the movie, it brought back a lot of memories."

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November 2023

Priscilla opened up about her decision to never remarry after she and Elvis called it quits.

“To be honest with you, I never wanted to marry after him. I never had any desire,” she said during a Q&A event at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas in November 2023. “No one could ever match him.”