Priscilla Presley Reflects on Her Life with Elvis in New Memoir

Priscilla Presley opens up—both the highs and lows—about her life after Elvis in her latest book, “Silently, I Leave You: Life After Elvis Presley.”

In excerpts from the book, Priscilla discloses an affair with karate instructor Mike Stone during her marriage to Elvis. Ironically, she started taking karate lessons to win her husband’s admiration after discovering his infidelities through letters written by other women.

She recalls feeling shattered when she found her mailbox filled with those letters, stating, “I finally held written evidence of what I had always been afraid of. I was deeply hurt.”

Priscilla also reflects on the complicated emotions during this time. She noted, “But turning the table this time didn’t work. If Elvis had problems that weren’t my business, it wasn’t his business what I was doing.” Her friendship with Stone blossomed into something more.

In a recent interview, Priscilla shared that she felt “too many of us” for her marriage to Elvis. She recalled confrontations with him, particularly when he found out about her relationship with Stone, which made him furious. Priscilla described Elvis as wanting to hire someone to take care of Mike; he even sought the help of Joe Esposito, his long-time manager.

“Elvis found myself unable to stand my thoughts with another man. A few weeks after I left, he said Mike had to die. He even asked Joe to find a hitman,” Priscilla writes.

She adds that Joe advised her to be cautious, hinting that Elvis might leave her. Over time and with the influence of those close to him, Elvis cooled down and abandoned the idea of violence.

Priscilla met Elvis when she was just 14, and they married in 1967. They had one daughter, Lisa Marie, before their divorce in 1973. In her memoir, she makes it clear that while Elvis’s reaction to her affair was significant, it wasn’t the sole reason for their split. “We didn’t leave for Mike Stone,” she emphasized. “Elvis was never forced to love me.” She conveyed deep emotional hurt over their last moments together but insisted it wasn’t just about Mike.

Priscilla reflected on how she wanted to keep the family intact after their separation, ensuring Lisa Marie had a relationship with her father. A few years later, Elvis passed away at just 42 from a heart attack. Addressing conspiracy theories about his alleged survival, she expressed her dismay, saying, “I wish he was still alive.”

“Silently, I Leave You: Life After Elvis Presley” is set to be released on September 23rd.