Introduction
Priscilla Presley – “Softly As I Leave You: Life After Elvis”
For more than six decades, Priscilla Presley has lived under the world’s gaze — ever since that fateful moment in 1959 when, as a 14-year-old girl in Germany, she met Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll. In her new memoir Softly As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, Priscilla opens her heart with rare honesty, reflecting on a love story that captivated millions and a life that continued long after the fairy tale ended.
The book’s title captures the tenderness and serenity that defines Priscilla’s tone — a quiet farewell, not of regret, but of understanding. Writing it, she admits, took years of emotional preparation. “It was very sensitive,” she explained. “I wanted it to be delicate and hoped that people would understand.” Through its pages, she revisits the moment a young military daughter was invited to Elvis’s German home — and how one glance from him changed her life forever.
Their marriage was one of global fascination. Yet, behind Graceland’s gates, life with Elvis was far from ordinary. Surrounded constantly by the “Memphis Mafia,” Priscilla learned to share her husband with his fame, his entourage, and the demands of a life that revolved entirely around him. “He couldn’t just go out and buy something,” she recalls. “The guys did everything for him.” Still, there were moments of genuine laughter, love, and shared dreams — moments she treasures deeply.
When Priscilla finally decided to leave, it was not out of anger but a longing for self-discovery. “I had to find out who I was,” she says. After years of living in Elvis’s world, she found freedom in dance classes, new friendships, and independence — all while keeping a deep bond with him. Even after their divorce, they remained close, holding hands in court as they parted ways.
Her journey didn’t end there. From navigating her daughter Lisa Marie’s marriage to Michael Jackson to saving Graceland from financial ruin, Priscilla emerged as the quiet guardian of Elvis’s legacy. Softly As I Leave You is not just a memoir — it’s the story of a woman who found her voice after living in the shadow of a legend, and who still speaks softly, but with strength that endures.