Priscilla Presley claims marriage 'suffered' after Lisa Marie’s birth as Elvis didn't want to make love to 'a mother'
CALABASAS, CALIFORNIA: Elvis and Priscilla Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was born nine months after their marriage in 1967. Though the pair were very much in love, it was their only child’s birth in February 1968 that changed the dynamics of their relationship completely. Their marriage ended in 1973 and the two shared joint custody of the late singer until the death of Elvis in 1977.
As per reports, after Lisa was born on February 1, 1968, Elvis stopped having an intimate relationship with Priscilla, effectively killing their marriage as he went on to have extramarital affairs. In her memoir, ‘Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N' Roll,’ Priscilla stated as reported by The Mirror, “[Elvis] had mentioned to me before we were married that he had never been able to make love to a woman who had a child.”
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‘My physical and emotional needs were unfulfilled’
The lack of intimacy began to adversely affect the businesswoman, who noted, “I [was] beginning to doubt my own sexuality as a woman. My physical and emotional needs were unfulfilled.” Priscilla’s claims have also been supported by a friend of the late King of Rock N' Roll. Sonny West reportedly shared, “It didn’t come easy for Elvis to be a committed husband. Elvis viewed her as a mother first and a wife second, and he had hang-ups about making love with her.”
Referring to Elvis’ mother, Gladys Presley, West added, “[Gladys] gave him so much love and attention when he was growing up that he came to put all mothers on a special pedestal. The idea of sex with a mother was, to Elvis, out of the question.”
Before Priscilla became a mother, sex with Elvis was ‘full of adventure’
Things weren’t like that initially between Elvis and his ex-wife, who in her book called it "passionate" and "full of adventure." She reportedly added, “Ordinary thrills sometimes were not enough [for Elvis]. Especially when he was under the influence of powerful drugs.” But after the birth of Lisa, Elvis reportedly got involved with several women, forcing Priscilla to have an affair with her dance teacher and her karate instructor, Mike Stone.
Lisa Marie, whose birth derailed her parents' marriage, died on January 12, 2023, because of cardiac arrest. In a statement, her heartbroken mother said, “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us. She was the most passionate, strong, and loving woman I have ever known.”
‘I have been living in the horrific reality’
But Lisa’s death was not only the shock the Presley family endured recently. In 2020, the songwriter’s only son Benjamin Keough died by suicide. In an essay published by PEOPLE, Lisa said, “Today is ‘National Grief Awareness Day,’ and since I have been living in the horrific reality of its unrelenting grips since my son's death two years ago, I thought I would share a few things to be aware of in regard to grief for anyone who is interested. If not to help yourself but maybe to help another who is grieving …”
She continued, “Death is part of life whether we like it or not — and so is grieving. There is so much to learn and understand on the subject, but here's what I know so far: One is that grief does not stop or go away in any sense, a year, or years after the loss. Grief is something you will have to carry with you for the rest of your life, in spite of what certain people or our culture wants us to believe. You do not ‘get over it,’ you do not ‘move on,’ period.”
“Two, grief is incredibly lonely. Despite people coming in the heat of the moment to be there for you right after the loss takes place, they soon disappear and go on with their own lives and they kind of expect for you to do the same, especially after some time has passed. This includes ‘family’ as well. If you're incredibly lucky, less than a handful will remain in contact with you after the first month or so. Unfortunately, that is a cold hard truth for most,” Lisa added.