Elvis Presley was conscripted into the US Military in 1958, where he was sent to Germany. During this time he met his soon-to-be pal, Joe Esposito. Joe would go on to become integral in the star’s personal life and music career. But even more important was Elvis’ meeting with his future wife, Priscilla Presley.
Elvis met Priscilla at a party in Friedberg, Germany, in 1959. The young woman was the daughter of a US Air Captain on the base. The King introduced himself to the 14-year-old Priscilla before proceeding to perform a number of songs on the piano in the room. He sang songs like Are You Lonesome Tonight? while he stared at Priscilla from across the room.
Joe recalled Elvis meeting Priscilla on that fateful night during a 1992 interview. He told Larry King: “Well, this guy in the Air Force was a friend of ours. And he brought Priscilla to the house to meet Elvis because she wanted to meet Elvis … she walked in the door, this cute, beautiful little girl in this little Navy dress. I’ll never forget that day when she walked in. Elvis walked over to her immediately, introduced himself to her, and they just started talking. And that was the start of it.”
Before long, Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship exploded into a romantic love affair. They were inseparable.
Elvis wasn’t concerned about Priscilla’s age, however. Despite the fact he was ten years older than her at 24-years-old.
Larry quizzed Joe: “She was only 14, right?” He replied: “Yes. We didn’t know it at the time. She looked 16.” He added: “Well, you know, she’s an Army brat, and they look older.”
Joe explained that Elvis likely found out Priscilla was just 14 on the night he met her. But he said Elvis didn’t care.
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Priscilla was brought up by her mother, Ann Wagner, and her step-father, Paul Beaulieu.
Joe said of their reaction to Elvis’ age: “Well, I think that scared them a little bit, especially the father. You know, [he was] a nice man, but an Air Force gentleman. So he had a lot of questions about him.”
Although the age difference was worrisome, Joe revealed Paul “talked to Elvis” and they “got along great”. He added: “He promised his daughter, don’t worry about it, she’s great, I will not harm her in any way. And he didn’t.”
Elvis and Priscilla remained in contact when he returned to the United States. Before long, she moved out there to live with him.
Elvis and Priscilla were eventually married on May 1, 1967. Priscilla claimed the pair were never intimate before they were married. Exactly nine months after their wedding day, on February 1, 1968, Lisa Marie (their only child) was born.
Elvis and Priscilla remained together until February 23, 1972, when they filed for legal separation. Elvis filed for divorce on his 38th birthday, January 8, 1973.
