Priscilla Presley Offers Candid Reflections on Lisa Marie and Life After Elvis
New York, NY – In a poignant evening of reflection and revelation, Priscilla Presley, 80, offered a deeply personal glimpse into the lives of her legendary family, particularly her late daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. Speaking at the 92NY cultural center on Wednesday, September 24, during a conversation surrounding her new memoir, Softly, as I Leave You: Life After Elvis, the actress and businesswoman candidly discussed Lisa Marie’s profound connection to the “Presley” name and the enduring shadow of her father, Elvis Presley.
Lisa Marie’s Enduring Pride in the ‘Presley’ Name
Moderated by veteran broadcaster Budd Mishkin, the discussion took an emotional turn when Mishkin inquired about Lisa Marie’s feelings regarding her iconic surname. “With all respect to Elvis and love for her father, do you think she ever had moments of, ‘Oh, I really wish my name was something other than Presley?'” he asked. Priscilla’s response was definitive and heartwarming. “No, she loved her name,” Priscilla affirmed, her voice tinged with both pride and sorrow for Lisa Marie, who passed away tragically in January 2023 at the age of 54. She recalled a vivid memory of a young Lisa Marie, barely nine or ten years old, confidently asserting her identity: “You know, I’m Lisa Presley. Do you know who my dad is?” It was a testament, Priscilla noted, to her daughter’s early understanding and embrace of her extraordinary lineage.
A Daughter’s Profound Grief: Lisa Marie’s Unfading Love for Elvis
Beyond the pride, Priscilla also revealed the profound and lasting grief Lisa Marie carried for her father, Elvis, who died of a heart attack in August 1977 when Lisa Marie was just nine years old. Priscilla shared a heartbreaking discovery: a letter from Lisa Marie, seemingly written to herself, expressing the depths of her yearning. “How much she missed her dad,” Priscilla recounted, “and one of the things that she wanted to do with him and the loss of — you know, that she felt she missed out.” This raw expression of loss, Priscilla admitted, “literally broke my heart, because that relationship that she had with him, that meant everything to her. And he played a big role in her life. It was very heartbreaking.”
This sentiment is further echoed in Lisa Marie’s posthumously published memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown (2024), where she confessed her constant fear: “I was always worried” about her father dying, even writing a poem with the line, “I hope my daddy doesn’t die.” She vividly described the day of his death, feeling her “life as I knew it is completely over,” and the agonizing moment she was held back while responders tried to save him.
Priscilla’s Memoir: Navigating a Life Shaped by the King
Priscilla’s own memoir, Softly, as I Leave You, delves into her life navigating the world after her marriage to Elvis, which began in 1967 and ended in divorce in 1973. Despite their separation four years before his death, Priscilla continues to honor the man she once called husband. She describes Elvis as “usually gentle and often tender,” and “extremely generous.” Proof of his enduring presence in her life lies in the tangible: “He bought me beautiful things, expensive gifts, amazing jewelry. I still wear the diamond cross he gave me. I had much to be grateful for in my marriage.” Her book serves as a testament to a complex, influential relationship that shaped not only her life but also, irrevocably, that of their daughter.
Both memoirs, from mother and daughter, paint a vivid picture of a family forever intertwined with the legend of Elvis Presley, a legacy that brought immense pride and profound sorrow. Priscilla’s Softly, as I Leave You: Life After Elvis is now available for purchase, offering readers a deeper understanding of the private lives behind one of music’s most iconic dynasties.
