Priscilla Presley Said Elvis’ ‘Greatest Fear’ in Their Relationship Led Him to Pull Away From Her

Priscilla Presley was with Elvis Presley for years before they married, and, in this time, he told her that they wouldn’t work out as a couple. He became increasingly interested in spirituality, while she struggled to find any interest in it. It didn’t help that his interest in spiritual virtue led him to pull away from her. She shared how this impacted their relationship. 

Priscilla Presley said Elvis wanted to avoid worldly temptations

As Elvis learned more about religion, spirituality, and the possibility of soul mates, he encouraged Priscilla to learn about it, too. She made an effort, but it became frustrating when she realized his new beliefs pushed him further from what she wanted. 

“Although I was striving to be his soul mate and subtly becoming more aware of myself as a spiritual being, my heart longed for the very temptations he was fighting to conquer,” she wrote in her book Elvis and Me. “While I patiently waited at home at Graceland for his returns, planning romantic interludes, he was attempting to overcome worldly temptations and believed he was going through a cleansing period, physically and spiritually. Any sexual temptations were against everything he was striving for, and he did not wish to betray me, the girl waiting for him at home who was preparing to be his wife.”

She believed he grew frightened of his reaction to women. As a result, he began to pull away from her.

“He felt guilty and confused about his natural reaction to female advances and I believe that this was his greatest fear when it came to marriage,” she wrote. “He loved me and deeply wanted to be faithful to me but never felt certain that he could resist temptation. It was a persistent battle, and it even got to the point where he felt he had to resist me.”

He told her that things wouldn’t work out between them because of her disinterest in philosophy

Priscilla recognized his dedication to spiritual and philosophical texts and tried to read them. She didn’t find them remotely interesting, though.

“As his soul mate I was expected to search for answers as fervently as he did, but I just couldn’t bear reading the ponderous tracts that surrounded us in bed every night,” she wrote. “Usually within five minutes of opening one, I’d be sound asleep.”

Elvis did not appreciate this and warned her he’d find someone who shared his interests.

“Annoyed at my obvious disinterest, he woke me to share an insightful passage,” Priscilla wrote. “If I voiced the slightest protest, he’d say, ‘Things will never work out between us, Cilla, because you don’t show any interest in me or my philosophies.’ Then, pointedly: ‘There are a lot of women out there who share these things with me.'”

Priscilla Presley tried to get Elvis to pay more attention to her

She continued to try but found it too tedious. Eventually, as Elvis read her a passage, she snapped.

“‘I can’t stand it! I don’t want to hear any more! I’m sick and tired of your voice going on and on! It’s — driving — me — crazy!’ she told him. “I was hysterical, pulling at my hair like a wild woman.”

Elvis, who had already taken his nightly sleeping pills, told her she looked like a “madwoman.” In response, she told him that she wanted him to appreciate her romantically. The message didn’t sink in, though.

“By the time I’d finished my tirade, all I could hear was the faint sound of religious music playing on the radio,” she wrote. “I looked up at him. He had fallen into a deep sleep.”