As Elvis Presley prepared to board a plane back to the United States from Germany, where he served as an Army sergeant, he shared a heartfelt goodbye with his sweetheart, Priscilla Beaulieu, who would later become his wife, Priscilla Presley. “He was my entire world. I thought about him every single day. I waited for his phone calls every night,” Priscilla revealed to Closer Weekly about her feelings on that memorable day in 1960. At just 14 years old, living in Wiesbaden with her dad, an Air Force officer, Priscilla was already deeply in love with the King of Rock and Roll.
During their brief farewell, Elvis encouraged her to stay strong, saying he’d be watching for her smile in the newspapers. “He told me he’d wave to me from the top of the stairs, and I waved back, forcing a smile even though my heart was breaking,” Priscilla recounted. Despite the uncertainty of ever seeing each other again, fate had other plans. Their first meeting in September 1959 marked the beginning of a journey that would change both their lives forever. Through their eight-year courtship, family battles, wedding jitters, and the birth of their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis and Priscilla became one of the most iconic couples in history.
Priscilla's Decision to Speak Out
At 72, Priscilla decided it was time to share her side of the story. “I’ve made the decision to talk about my life,” she announced during the event "Elvis and Me: An Evening With Priscilla Presley" in Australia on November 6. She emphasized the importance of setting the record straight, noting that over 800 books have been written about Elvis. “I realized just how much misinformation is out there,” she explained. “Some things have been altered, some are outright lies, and others are someone else’s perception.” Priscilla took the opportunity to reveal new details about the hopes, fears, and dreams of the Elvis only she truly knew. “I want to tell it like it is,” she declared.
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Priscilla at age 16 in Germany in 1960. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
The Early Days: Meeting the King
Priscilla vividly recalls the excitement of meeting Elvis for the first time. “I’ll never forget it,” she said. However, her parents weren’t thrilled about the idea. When she asked permission to attend a party where she’d meet the entertainer, her father sternly replied, “Absolutely not!” and her mother added, “I won’t let you walk across the street to see Elvis Presley!” Priscilla knew this would be a battle, but she eventually won them over.
When the night finally arrived, everything was proper. “He was sitting in a chair with one leg over it and he looked over the back and said, ‘Well, who do we have here?’” Priscilla remembered. She worried her young age might be an issue, but Elvis was unfazed. He asked her about popular music at the time, mentioning artists like Bobby Darin, Fabian, and Bobby Rydell. His biggest concern was whether his fans would move on to other singers during his absence from the music scene.
When Elvis wanted to see her again, her parents remained hesitant. “My father interrogated me! He wanted to know everything,” Priscilla recalled. To ease their concerns, Elvis visited their home in full uniform, dressed impeccably in white gloves and a hat. “He won my father over in no time! They talked for an hour and a half,” she marveled.
