The One Reason Priscilla Presley Thinks Elvis Fell For Her At A Young Age

Elvis and Priscilla Presley's relationship was one for the books, but not for the best of reasons. The legendary singer was 24 years old when he met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu in 1959. Priscilla's family was stationed in West Germany with the United States Army at the time, as was Elvis. According to a 1985 article Priscilla wrote for People, a friend of Elvis' approached her at a local café, asking her whether she'd like to meet him. 

Priscilla later went to a house party hosted by Elvis. Upon finding out Priscilla was only in the ninth grade, he remarked, "Why, you're just a baby." However, their age difference didn't stop the "Jailhouse Rock" hitmaker from pursuing a romantic relationship with the teen. When speaking to Fox 32, Priscilla shared, "He poured his heart out to me in Germany. He was very, very lonely," claiming that her listening abilities were why Elvis fell for her.

The unlikely pair soon had their first kiss, but nothing else happened until much later, as Priscilla noted in her piece for People. "It was not a sexual relationship, being 14 years old," she confirmed. The "Dallas" star also noted that, after their first kiss, Elvis told her simply, "We have plenty of time, Little One." 

In her own words, Priscilla Presley was easy to impress when she met Elvis Presley for the first time. However, for the "King of Rock and Roll," all it took to win her over was Elvis just being himself. "Each night that I was with him, he entrusted a little more of himself — his doubts, his secrets, and his frustrations," Priscilla shared with People in 1985, adding, "It was a lot to expect someone my age to understand, but I tried."

They struck up a long-distance relationship from 1960 to 1963, after which time Priscilla moved into Graceland, Elvis' infamous Memphis mansion. She was still a senior in high school and ultimately finished her education in Memphis at Elvis's request. Reflecting on this period, in a 2021 interview with People, Priscilla admitted that upon relocating to the US, she fully embraced the role of Elvis' partner and relished taking care of him. 

"I was always ready to greet him at the door and pamper him. I loved tending to Elvis very much," she reminisced. After tying the knot in 1967 and welcoming their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, the following year, Priscilla and Elvis started to grow apart. And, in 1972, they separated. During a 2017 appearance on "Loose Women," Priscilla clarified that she didn't leave Elvis because she didn't love him, but because she couldn't acclimate to his lifestyle and live in the star's shadow anymore.

Although being courted by Elvis Presley was a dream for many teenage girls in the '50s and '60s, there was a darker side to the singer. In her 1985 People tell-all, Priscilla Presley detailed how, over the years, Elvis gradually molded her into the woman he wanted her to be. As soon as they started seeing each other, the "Hound Dog" hitmaker described his vision of the perfect woman and detailed how much Priscilla fit the bill. And, once Priscilla started visiting Elvis in the US, he employed hairdressers and makeup artists to transform her from the teenager she was into the woman he wanted her to be. 

According to Priscilla, Elvis instructed her to apply more makeup around her eyes, stating, "Make them stand out more. They're too plain naturally. I like a lot of makeup." Notably, while the couple didn't consummate their relationship until Priscilla turned 18, Elvis insisted on her remaining a virgin, telling her, "I want you back the way you are now. And remember, I'll always know," when it was time for her to return to Germany.

Despite the questionable behavior, Priscilla divulged on "Loose Women" that she never felt traumatized by the experience. Following their divorce and Elvis's death in 1977, Priscilla notably never got married again. She did, however, have another child in 1987, Navarone Garibaldi Garcia, with entrepreneur Marco Garibaldi.