Everything We Know About Elvis And Priscilla Presley's Divorce

In September 1959, 14-year-old Priscilla Presley caught the eye of a 24-year-old Elvis Presley during one of his famous house parties. According to Biography.com, the "Jailhouse Rock" singer later told one of his friends that Priscilla was "young enough that I can train her any way I want." Naturally, the teenager had a more romantic perspective on the fateful evening. Speaking to People in 1985, Priscilla recalled how she had a brief conversation with the legendary crooner before he made his way to the piano and played a few songs to grab her attention. The couple got engaged in 1966 and tied the knot in Las Vegas in 1967. 

However, in December of that very same year, Elvis told his 22-year-old, 7-months-pregnant wife that he wanted a brief separation. During a 2021 chat with The Orlando Sentinel, the entrepreneur recalled how her then-husband broke the news, admitting, "Cilla, I have to have time to think. Things just aren't going right. It'll be good for the two of us to take a little time off, like a trial separation. Be apart from one another for a while." 

Priscilla remembered that Elvis reassured her that her actions hadn't prompted this decision and he just needed time to work through some personal issues. However, they never separated, as the rock star reversed his decision two days later. The couple welcomed their first and only child, Lisa Marie Presley, in 1968 and went their separate ways in 1972. Needless to say, their high-profile divorce added a major boost to Priscilla's net worth.

Following a 6-month separation, Priscilla and Elvis Presley finalized their divorce on August 15, 1972. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the "Can't Help Falling In Love" hitmaker had to offer up a whopping $725,000 as a one-off payment to his ex-wife in addition to regular child and spousal support payments. Priscilla was also entitled to 50% of the money that came from the sale of their marital home and 5% of Elvis' publishing royalties. Meanwhile, the exes agreed to share joint custody of Lisa Marie Presley. 

In November 2017, the celebrity couple's 12-page divorce settlement was put up for auction with an estimated value of $26,318 to $32,898, as Fox News reported at the time. The legal documents revealed that Priscilla had received several expensive vintage cars from the "Burning Love" singer, including his 1971 Mercedes-Benz and 1969 Cadillac Eldorado. On top of that, Elvis also gave her the keys to his 1971 Harley Davidson motorcycle and $100,000. Furthermore, the divorce settlement detailed how the couple mutually agreed to divide up their properties to save themselves from added financial and mental strain. 

It's safe to say that Elvis was happy to catch a break any way he could. His friend Mae Boren Axton disclosed to People that "[the divorce] killed him," adding, "It hurt his ego, and it hurt his heart." However, as time went by, wounds healed, and the former spouses developed a friendly relationship, which is seriously impressive considering the reasons for their split.

In Priscilla Presley's memoir "Elvis & Me," she shared that Elvis Presley once informed her that he couldn't have sex with a woman after she had given birth. As a result, the iconic singer wasn't interested in her sexually once the couple welcomed their daughter. Of course, that wasn't the only glaring red flag in the Presleys' marriage. During a 2018 interview on Australia's 7 Network, Priscilla confirmed that the "Hound Dog" hitmaker had cheated on her. She stressed that it was nothing serious, rationalizing that Elvis' infidelities were a normal side effect of him being in the limelight. It's worth noting that she also reportedly cheated on the King of Rock 'n' Roll with karate instructor Mike Stone. 

In addition to these issues, the bestselling author struggled to find her identity in their marriage. While appearing on "Loose Women" in 2016, Priscilla reasoned simply, "You lived his life." She elaborated, "You saw the movies he wanted to see. You listened to the music he listened to. You go to places he would go, so you really kind of lost yourself. As a woman, I didn't really know who I was." Priscilla also confessed that she only understood how people could be independent in their marriages when she attended dance classes by herself. However, Priscilla never got to experience that because she never married again after divorcing Elvis. Nonetheless, Priscilla's now living the life she always wanted.