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Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley’s marriage was marked by many emotional times. When Priscilla found out she was pregnant was among those times. Here’s how Priscilla initially reacted to the possibility of becoming a mother and how Elvis responded as she considered her options for the pregnancy.

Priscilla Presley with a photo of Elvis Presley
Priscilla Presley | Bettmann / Contributor

Did Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley want a family?

Country Living reports Priscilla met Elvis when she was 14 years old. Elvis was 10 years older and already a star. The couple married seven years later when Priscilla was 21 years old.

In her book Elvis and Me, Priscilla wrote she and her husband talked of having children during the early days of their marriage. However, starting a family was not in their immediate plans after they married. One day, Priscilla had a strange sensation in her body and realized she must be pregnant.

Priscilla knew a pregnancy would change everything for them. “If I were pregnant, I knew that our plans to travel would have to be postponed,” she said. “I wouldn’t be able to head off to some exotic locale and leave my child with nurses and maids. For the first year, I truly wanted to be alone with Elvis, without any responsibilities or obligations.”

Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley at their wedding in front of a red curtain
Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

What happened when Priscilla Presley told the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll she was pregnant

Priscilla told her husband she was pregnant and she remembered he was ecstatic. “I loved seeing Elvis happy, but I was still uncertain about how my unexpected pregnancy would affect our marriage,” Priscilla said. Priscilla wanted to be beautiful for Elvis and didn’t want to have a “fat stomach, puffy face, and swollen feet.”

Priscilla describes going to Los Angeles, where her husband was to begin pre-production for the film Speedway with Nancy Sinatra. Priscilla was uncertain about what was happening to her. “But when I kept smiling and laughing I still felt very ambivalent about my pregnancy. I wanted a baby, just not so soon,” Priscilla reveals.

A trailer for ‘Speedway’

The conversation Elvis Presley had with Priscilla Presley about abortion

Elvis picked up on what he perceived to be Priscilla’s moodiness. When they were at a small inn in Arizona, he asked her what she wanted to do. She asked, “What can I do?” He answered, “I’ll back you up whatever you want to do.”

Priscilla knew then she could make whatever decision she wanted about keeping the baby or not. She said to Elvis “It’s our baby.” She further stated, “I could never live with myself, neither could you.” They hugged and accepted that they would be parents. They had a daughter together named Lisa Marie Presley.

Priscilla Presley holding baby Lisa Marie Presley and putting her arm around Elvis Presley
Elvis, Priscilla, and Lisa Marie Presley | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer
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How did Elvis Presley feel about his daughter after she was born?

During an interview with Lorraine, Lisa Marie said she had a very close relationship with her father. She remembers they were close from the moment she was born. In addition, she revealed her father would let her get away with plenty of mischief. Elvis allowed Priscilla to decide if she would have the baby — and he loved the baby once she was born.