Priscilla Presley Revealed Details About Infidelity in Her Marriage With Elvis

When Priscilla Presley met the music superstar and her future husband, Elvis Presley, she was only 14. Elvis was 24. He was already a successful musician, but he was drafted into the U.S. Army and entered Priscilla's orbit because her dad worked as an Air Force captain nearby. They met at a party and kept in touch until Elvis was discharged, according to People.

Although Priscilla claims that they didn't become intimate until they were married when she was 21, Priscilla implied that Elvis controlled much of her actions and appearance during their early relationship, per People. In her memoir, she wrote, "He became my father, husband, and very nearly God."

Sofia Coppola's film Priscilla tells the story of their turbulent romance from Priscilla's perspective. Many viewers wondered how much of the story actually happened, especially the infidelity.

Elvis did cheat on Priscilla in real life. She found out about Elvis's infidelity when she found letters addressed to him from women with whom he spent time on the road.

During the event "An Evening With Priscilla Presley," Priscilla revealed that she found a letter from a woman who said she had "the best time" with Elvis while he was on the road, per Business Insider. "When I found that letter, it just ate me up," she said.

When Priscilla told Elvis she found the letter, he accused her of snooping. "He wasn't happy about that, but I wasn't happy either," she said. Priscilla added, "Listen, there was him and four or five of his guys who were always together, so they're men, right? And they were all married, and they were all fooling around."

The couple got into fights when she brought up his infidelity.

Priscilla found mail from actress Anita Wood, and the press published stories about Elvis's affairs with his co-stars. In 2021, Priscilla told People, "I always had an eye on him because everyone in the world was after him."

She revealed that at one point, the distress from the infidelity got so bad that she considered taking her own life. She said their life "was different, but it was ours."

She had affairs with her dance teacher and her karate instructor. Elvis stopped being intimate with Priscilla after she had their child, Lisa Marie.

Priscilla finally left Elvis in 1972, which was five years before his death at age 42. She said that she never stopped loving him.

Priscilla said that the Priscilla movie did an "amazing job" telling her story. She is an executive producer on the project. "I think it's right on, to be honest with you," she said, per Variety.

Priscilla's late daughter, Lisa Marie, however, did not like the film's portrayal of her father. "I don’t read this and see my mother’s perspective of my father. I read this and see your shockingly vengeful and contemptuous perspective," Lisa wrote in an email to her mother.

Sofia wrote back, "I hope that when you see the final film you will feel differently, and understand I’m taking great care in honoring your mother, while also presenting your father with sensitivity and complexity." Unfortunately, Lisa Marie passed before the film premiered.

Priscilla is available to stream on Netflix. You can watch the 2022 Austin Butler biopic Elvis on HBO Max and Prime Video.