Priscilla Presley Said Elvis’ Story Didn’t Have ‘A Happy Ending’ As 3 Generations Of Family Carried On His Legacy

Jun 16, 2022 by apost team

Elvis Presley is regarded as one of the most important musicians of the 20th century and is frequently dubbed "The King" for his incredible status in rock 'n' roll history. His energetic stage performances and provocative dancing skills gave him initial controversy but, in the end, led to long-term success and a lasting musical legacy.

Elvis' wife, Priscilla Presley, was only married to him from 1967 until 1973. However, despite their short marriage, Priscilla dealt with a lot and also had some influence on Elvis' life and music. Elvis met Priscilla during his army career when she was just 14 years old. Their love affair led Priscilla to eventually move from Germany to join Elvis in Graceland. After many visits, Priscilla's parents let her move with Elvis to Tennessee in 1963, and the two tied the knot in 1967. Less than a year after the pair got married, their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was born.

Nowadays, Priscilla lives on without her beloved and famous husband Elvis. She even has a granddaughter, Riley Keough, who has become an actress. Her late daughter Lisa Marie was also a notable figure in the entertainment industry, having followed in the footsteps of her late father by becoming a singer and songwriter. However, tragically, she passed away at the age of 54 on Jan. 12. 2023.

Although Elvis is no longer with us, many of his fans, peers and family have continued to share his memory with the world to help carry on his long-lasting legacy. Even the three generations of the Presley family – Priscilla, Lisa Marie and Riley – came together to show their support for Elvis.

In an interview with The Guardian in 2012, Priscilla talked about her life and relationship with Elvis. It was widely reported that Elvis groomed her as a teenager, making her dress and look the way he wanted her to. Priscilla explained:

"After we got married in May 1967, when I was 21, I got pregnant straight away. Initially I was devastated. I thought, 'Oh my gosh, here I am married and now I'm pregnant and I'm not going to look attractive anymore.' It was certainly a rocky time."

Their late daughter Lisa Marie grew up to follow in Elvis’ footsteps, becoming a singer and songwriter. She was also the sole heir to Elvis' estate. Now that she has passed, her three surviving children will inherit Elvis' estate. 

In 1989, Lisa Marie welcomed a daughter named Riley. Riley began modeling at the age of 15 and walked in several fashion shows before switching to acting later on. Back in 2017, she talked about her busy schedule with The Guardian. “I’m a workaholic,” Riley said. “Very high strung.” Her breakthrough performance came in “The Runaways” in 2010, followed by her stellar performances in “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Girlfriend Experience.” She is still staying busy with her career, as she is currently filming the TV series “Daisy Jones & The Six.”

The actress has also shared what Elvis’ music means to her. Riley said:

“There’s definitely emotion around it. There was definitely a lot of grief around it growing up, especially seeing my mom and my grandmother. It was kind of a sad thing, tragic kind of a thing, so there was definitely that relationship to it, and I could see from a young age, it would make my mom sad, and so I could feel that. It’s definitely an emotional experience, especially if it’s one of the more emotional songs.”

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There’s no denying that Elvis left a lasting legacy on the world and many people today are still inspired by his music and his story. The movie “Elvis” was released in 2022, and shared the biographical and dramatic story of the late King of Rock and Roll. The movie stars Austin Butler in the title role, alongside Tom Hanks and other notable actors.

Elvis’ granddaughter Riley shared a heartwarming photograph on Instagram of herself alongside Lisa Marie and Priscilla attending the film’s premiere together in June 2022. She captioned the photo:

“We’re so thrilled to be in Memphis with @elvismovie and with all of the wonderful performers, @austinbutler @olivia_dejonge @kelvharrjr and Tom Hanks have all done outstanding work. Thank you to @bazluhrmann for bringing the film to Graceland. It’s been such a special weekend, I couldn’t think of a better place to Premiere ELVIS in America.”

Priscilla also shared how moved she was to attend the premiere of a movie based on her late husband’s life and career. On Facebook, she wrote:

“The story, as we all know, does not have a happy ending. But I think you will understand a little bit more of Elvis’ journey, penned by a director who put his heart and soul and many hours into this film.”

Of late, family has meant everything to the Presley household, particularly amid the losses of both Lisa Marie and her late son, Benjamin Keough. Even though they didn't always see each other often, the Presley clan clearly had a lot of love for one another. 

"Family means a lot to me because I have a big family," Priscilla said. "... Sometimes things go really, really well and sometimes they don't but I think it's important for children to have family that are close, present and to know that they have that support."

What do you think about the Presley family? Were you surprised to see that Priscilla, Lisa Marie and Riley came together in a rare appearance for the “Elvis” film premiere? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to any Elvis fan you know!