Whatever Happened To Priscilla Presley?
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Priscilla Presley is probably best known for marrying rock n' roll legend Elvis Presley in 1967 in Las Vegas, when she was just 21 years old. The couple had a well-documented eight-year courtship before they wed and went on to have one daughter, Lisa Marie (who would have her own legendary music marriage.) Priscilla and Elvis eventually divorced in 1973, as Elvis became increasingly addicted to prescription drugs. Although "The King" had many girlfriends, he never married again, and Priscilla is the most well-known and publicly recognized of all his paramours.
After Elvis' tragically early death in 1977, Priscilla turned his mansion, Graceland, into a world-renowned tourist attraction and oversaw business dealings pertaining to Elvis' merchandise, music, and licensing deals (including a 2016 album of Elvis "performing" with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.)
She also worked as an actress during the 1980s and '90s, appearing in Dallas, Melrose Place and all three of The Naked Gun movies. She had a 22 year-long relationship with entrepreneur Marco Garibaldi, with whom she had a son in 1987.
But what has Elvis' ex-wife been up to in more recent years? Read on to find out.
She 'humanized' Elvis' dark side
In April 2018, HBO premiered its critically-praised documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher, which examines the arc of Elvis' personal life and career all the way up through his death. According to People, Priscilla Presley was closely involved with the film as an executive producer.
She told the magazine that it was difficult to revisit the details of Elvis' demise, and that her ex-husband's drug addiction toward the end of his life became unmanageable to the point that she was unable to intervene. "People go, well why didn't anyone do anything?" she said. "Well, that's not true. People there in the inner group did, but you did not tell Elvis Presley what to do. You did not. I mean, you'd be out of there faster than a scratched cat. They would try and no way. He knew what he was doing."
Priscilla believes that by exploring the nitty-gritty details, the film paints a truer portrait of Elvis for his fans. "[W]e're exposing what went on behind the scenes," Priscilla told a panel (via Parade). "If you loved him before this, you will love him even more after. Because the film humanizes him. You really get to know him."
To Scientology or not to Scientology?
According to the Daily Mail (via E! Online), Priscilla reached out to actor and notable Scientologist John Travolta in 1977 after Elvis' death, eventually becoming a full-fledged member of the Church of Scientology. Priscilla has spoken on behalf of Scientology's Citizens Commission on Human Rights, a group that is vehemently anti-psychiatry. She reportedly raised her daughter, Lisa Marie, within the Church, although by March 2017, Lisa Marie was no longer involved with Scientology at all, according to Page Six.
In October 2017, rumors broke that Presley had left the church, but her reps have claimed that isn't true, reported People. According to author Janet Reitman in her book Inside Scientology (via Rolling Stone), Elvis was no fan of the faith, reportedly saying after a visit to a Scientology center: "F**k those people! There's no way I'll ever get involved with that son-of-a-b**chin' group. All they want is my money."
She's fiercely advocating for horses
Glancing over Priscilla Presley's Twitter page, her strong affinity for horses is obvious. She's taken this passion to another level by becoming a staunch advocate for ending soring. Per the Tennessean, soring is "the practice of intentionally abusing Tennessee walking horses and related breeds to exaggerate their gait, causing the animals pain each time they step so they lift their front legs higher in what is known as the "Big Lick."
In January 2017, the paper reported that Priscilla (who has kept horses at Graceland for many years) called upon President Donald Trump to publish a rule that would ban gear used for soring and train inspectors through the USDA to prevent the practice. As recently as April 2018, she has continued to speak out on her social media pages about passing the Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) act.
According to its official site, under Priscilla's watch, Graceland is still home to a number of rescue horses.
Her appearance has raised eyebrows (and not just hers)
According to a 1985 interview with Barbara Walters, Elvis tightly controlled Priscilla's physical appearance. In fact, the former Mrs. Presley told the UK's "Loose Women" talk show (via Yahoo) that he never saw her without makeup during the course of their marriage. Today, Priscilla's appearance is still a matter of public scrutiny.
In November 2017, her youthful appearance on UK talk show Lorraine generated a strong reaction from folks on social media who speculated about cosmetic procedures she may have had done. Plastic surgeons chimed in too to add their two cents.
Years earlier, in 2008, Priscilla's reps confirmed to TMZ that she was the victim of a fraudulent plastic surgeon, Dr. Daniel Serrano, who had injected patients with industrial, low-grade silicone instead of Botox. They also said she was undergoing corrective work. The Daily Mail reported that Serrano was "sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy, smuggling and use of unapproved drugs in 2006."
Priscilla has since remained silent in response to speculation about her looks.
She's still communicating with The King
In October 2015, Priscilla gave a revealing interview to The Guardian newspaper in which she discussed the ups and downs of being with her late husband, her experiences managing the public spotlight, and her daughter's marriage to pop megastar Michael Jackson.
When asked to describe her so-called ongoing relationship with Elvis, Priscilla had this to say: "It's as if Elvis is guiding me. I'm being guided by this energy ... his spirit is communicating to me. When I go to Graceland, my gosh, I can walk in that door and see him walking down the stairs, I can hear laughter, I can hear the music playing in the music room. It's a very surreal feeling. But it's not scary, it's beautiful."
In June 2012, Priscilla also told The Associated Press (via the New York Daily News) that it was Elvis' spirit that continued to draw crowds to Graceland. "I have no doubt that he's there, somewhere, his spirit. I think people feel that."
Did sparks fly with Tom Jones?
Rumors swirled in February 2017 that Priscilla Presley had once again hooked up with rock n' roll royalty. This time, tabloids linked her to Welsh singer Sir Tom Jones, whose wife, Linda, died in 2016.
After Priscilla and Jones were photographed leaving a Los Angeles restaurant together, a source told The Sun, "Tom and Priscilla are courting. There is a spark between them but they are taking it slowly. It really is early days but they get on so well."
Jones fueled the flames by telling the paper, "We have been friends for a long time. She's a lovely lady. We do enjoy our nights out together."
However, a spokesperson for Jones quickly put the kibosh on the romance chatter, telling the Daily Mail, "Priscilla Presley and Tom have known each other for many, many years. They are part of a wider social group that occasionally meet up for an evening out. There is no more to the story than that."
Priscilla finally spoke out on Good Morning Britain in July 2017, saying that she and Jones have known one another since 1968, "but always friendship, always friends."
She published a children's book
2017 saw the publication of Elvis Presley's Love Me Tender, a children's picture book based on the Elvis song of the same title. It was billed as "heartwarming ode to the special bond between children and the adults who love and care for them — be they parents, grandparents, adoptive parents, aunts, uncles or guardians."
As Priscilla told People, the book (for which she penned the endnote) was inspired by Lisa Marie's twin daughters, Harper and Finlay. "I can't imagine them not liking the book," said Priscilla. "First of all, they will instantly recognize the title and secondly it's a feel-good story of love and accepting and a happy ending. Isn't that what children want?"
Grandma Presley told the Today show that Elvis' song had always been intended as a tribute to family, despite its seemingly romantic lyrics. "Every race, every culture can relate to it, every country ... this could be a first book for a child to learn how to read."
And the grandma of the year award goes to...
Priscilla has been extremely involved in daughter Lisa Marie's life, publicly supporting her through personal and financial turmoil. In March 2017, ABC's Good Morning America reported that Lisa Marie's twin daughters were staying with Priscilla while Lisa Marie navigated an extremely contentious divorce from Michael Lockwood.
As of November 2017, Priscilla was still caring for the twins, telling Us Weekly, "It's great, it's absolutely great. I love it ... Having twins is quite an experience, I have to say. Both of them are very different."
Meanwhile, Lisa Marie is reportedly still battling it out in court with her husband and her former business manager. According to a February 2018 article in The Telegraph, Lisa Marie claims he seriously mishandled her finances to the point that her entire estate has dwindled to just thousands of dollars.
Along with the twins, Priscilla is also seen regularly with her granddaughter and actress Riley Keough, Lisa Marie's daughter with musician Danny Keough.
She wants men and women to be equals between the sheets
Priscilla Presley launched her own line of luxury linens in 2006, following up on her perfume line. "I have always loved beddings and linens; I love beautiful fabrics," she told Wedding Style Magazine. "A lot of bedding is very floral, very feminine; we're trying to make the settings a little more for men and women."
According to Curbed, Priscilla upped the ante in 2012 by partnering with design firm HStudio to launch a line of home decor and accent furniture. She told the Daily Herald that the collection would balance "the yin and yang, the male and female ... It has to have balance because a man has to feel as comfortable as a woman." We sense a running theme.
Unfortunately, neither the linens nor home furnishings line seem to be available for purchase at this time, though for you die-hard fans, there's always eBay.
She went on tour to 'put the record straight'
Priscilla took her show on the road in 2016 and 2017, touring "An Evening with Priscilla Presley: An Open Conversation." According to the official site, the presentation was billed as "an extremely rare opportunity to gain insight into a world only a few have entered ... an intimate interview format where she will answer audience questions and share stories that will spark curiosity and conversation."
Per an October 2017 Newsday article in advance of her show in Westbury, N.Y., Priscilla said her intention was to "clear up so many things that have been altered or perceived differently. I want to put the record straight from my side."
According to a February 2018 report from ABC 7 Chicago, Priscilla shared behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and fans also had the opportunity to ask her questions. She even took the show to Australia.