Priscilla Presley Remembers Elvis with Mixed Emotions

Priscilla Presley reflects on the challenges of mourning her late ex-husband, Elvis Presley, 48 years after his death. In her recent memoir, “When I Leave You Gently: Life After Elvis,” she recalls the overwhelming circumstances surrounding his funeral.

According to Priscilla, there was “no privacy” for Elvis’s close family and friends during this difficult time. “People and cameras surrounded the facility,” she recalled, noting that mourners were eager to see Elvis’s open casket.

Elvis passed away from cardiac arrest at just 42 years old on August 16, 1977, leading to a public funeral at his Memphis home two days later. The event drew thousands of his dedicated fans, creating an emotional scene that was broadcast nationwide.

Priscilla writes that the crowd became so large that President Jimmy Carter had to call in the Air Force Guard for assistance. It was a hot day, and many attendees fainted due to heat and emotion. “It was overwhelming. There was no room for our own sadness yet,” she reflected.

A more private funeral followed later in the music room of Graceland, where Priscilla sat alongside Elvis’s father, Vernon, and her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. Tragically, Lisa Marie passed away in 2023, just 54 years old.

Priscilla described a tender moment between herself and Lisa Marie, waiting until they could be alone with Elvis to say their goodbyes. “I don’t know if he really missed me until then,” she wrote.

Married in Las Vegas in 1967, Priscilla divorced Elvis in 1973, yet she confesses that almost five decades later, “a large part of me has died” and that Elvis remains “always in my heart.” She struggles to fully accept his passing, describing him as “such a force of nature.” In fact, she admits in her memoir that she felt he was always with her.

This isn’t the first time Priscilla has shared her emotions about Elvis’s death. In past interviews, she expressed that his sudden passing was “incredibly difficult” and left her in shock. Describing the scene at the funeral, she remembered seeing a line of mourners outside the cemetery, some crying and fainting in despair.

In her memoir, Priscilla also discusses a phone call from Elvis while she was with Rob Kardashian, highlighting the complexity of their relationship. As she promotes her memoir, she’s eager to share these personal stories and insights about her life with Elvis.