Elvis Presley Viewed Motherhood as ‘Sacred’ — Did This Affect His Relationships With Women?

Elvis Presley was a larger-than-life icon, and even after his death in 1977, Elvis remains one of the most legendary celebrities of all time. In addition to being known for his music and acting career, Elvis was also known for his highly-publicized relationships.

For years, rumors have swirled that he would not have sex with women who had given birth. While there is some proof available to substantiate the rumors, some women who were with Elvis have contradicted those claims.

How Elvis Presly viewed motherhood

Growing up, Elvis was extremely close to his mother, Gladys. As Elvis’ career took off, his mother’s health deteriorated and she died in 1958.

Joel Williamson wrote the book Elvis Presley: A Southern Life which detailed the singer’s life and relationships. According to The Inquisitr, Williamson’s book alleged that Elvis “believed that motherhood was ‘sacred,’ and if one of his conquests became a mother, he would stop sleeping with them.”

Elvis Presley’s sex life with Priscilla Presley changed

Elvis met Priscilla Presley when she was only 14 years old, and the two dated for eight years before getting married. In 1985, Priscilla published a memoir titled Elvis and Me.

In the memoir, Priscilla detailed her sex life with the famous singer. Because of her young age, Elvis refused to sleep with her until their wedding night.

“‘For the last time I begged him to consummate our love. It would have been so easy for him. I was young, vulnerable, desperately in love and he could have taken complete advantage of me. But he quietly said, ‘No. Someday we will, Priscilla, but not now. You’re just too young,'” she wrote according to the Chicago Tribune.

Shortly after their wedding, Priscilla discovered she was pregnant. She gave birth to their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, just nine months after her wedding with Elvis. After giving birth, her sex life with Presley slowed down.

In Elvis and Me, Priscilla claimed that 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.”

The singer had an affair with Barbara Leigh

Elvis and Priscilla were married from 1967 to 1973. While married to Priscilla, Elvis had an affair with actress Barbara Leigh. The affair lasted from 1970 to 1972.

Leigh gave birth to a child in 1964, meaning that at the time of her affair with Elvis she was a mother, negating the claim that Elvis refused to sleep with women who had given birth.

In an interview with Elvis Information Network, the actress described her affair with Elvis.

“From that moment in his dressing room when we locked eyes, I knew we would be friends and lovers,” she said. “We tried spending as much time together as we could manage, but it wasn’t easy with his career, his marriage, his other women and my work schedule.”

While Elvis was married at the time of the affair, she did not view this as a problem.

“Elvis was the King, and a King has to have his harem, right? I didn’t think about him being married or about the many, many other women in his life. When we were together I tried living in the now,” she said. “I never believed that I was the only girlfriend…”