'He Never Wanted to See Me'

Celebrity

Priscilla Presley's life with Elvis wasn't exactly a fairytale.

Published on January 11, 2021

Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s marriage might have only lasted six years, but they remain one of the most iconic celebrity couples of all time. Still, since the couple’s split, Priscilla has opened up a bit about what it was really like living under Elvis’ control for so many years. And she revealed the two were living “in a bubble” — and that Elvis never wanted to see her unless she was dressed up and full of makeup.

Elvis and Priscilla Presley had an interesting relationship dynamic

When Elvis and Priscilla first met, they were both living overseas in Germany. He had already made it big as a rock and roll star, but he agreed to serve time in the military. Priscilla’s father was doing the same, and the two met after a friend introduced them. Though Priscilla was only 14 and Elvis was 24, there was an instant connection. After he returned home, she stayed in Germany, but they wrote letters to each other for two years.

Eventually, Priscilla’s parents allowed her to go and live with Elvis, and the two dated for several years before getting married when Priscilla was 21. But during that time, Elvis became controlling of Priscilla, shaping her into his perfect woman. He controlled what she wore, how she did her makeup, and what her social life was like. It took a toll on Priscilla from early on, though she still thought she wanted to marry him.

Priscilla once revealed she couldn’t go out to dinner or be seen without makeup

Things between Priscilla and Elvis only grew more odd the longer they were together. Priscilla once revealed to that Elvis refused to even take her to dinner because he was too concerned about being photographed “putting a fork in his mouth,” according to Town & Country. Priscilla added that she “literally lived in a bubble” while with him, including only being allowed to hang out with his small circle of friends.

Not only had Elvis decided how Priscilla could dress and what makeup she could wear, but he also never wanted to see her before she had done either. “There are things you keep to yourself,” Priscilla said. “He never wanted to see me getting dressed. He wanted to see the result of getting dressed.” She referred to it as keeping a “mystique” in their marriage.

Priscilla said ‘nobody’ could tell Elvis ‘what to do’    

Eventually, Priscilla grew more and more unhappy with the way her life was unfolding at the hands of the King of Rock and Roll. He was off touring, and often cheating, while she was stuck at home. Priscilla realized that she had developed no identity of her own, and she eventually divorced Elvis in an effort to find herself.

Several years after the two split, she learned that Elvis had died as a result of a drug addiction – and there was some conversation about whether the people around him worked hard enough to stop it. “You did not tell Elvis Presley what to do. You did not,” Priscilla once told People. “He knew what he was doing.”

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