Priscilla Presley speaks out over claims Elvis 'groomed' her when she was 14

03 November 2023 , 02:42

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Priscilla Presley addresses claims that Elvis 'groomed' her from a young age (Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Priscilla Presley has defended her late ex-husband Elvis Presley over grooming allegations - claiming that it was a "different time" back then.

In a new emotionally charged interview following the newly released movie about her life, Priscilla spoke out about claims Elvis "groomed" her. As many suggest that Elvis would've been "cancelled" in today's world following the Me Too movement, Priscilla stood by their relationship and his pure intentions. Despite their controversial age difference, with Elvis being 24 and Priscilla being just 14 when they started dating, Priscilla says she never "took it like that."

Priscilla told Piers Morgan Uncensored: "I mean, you know Elvis was, like I said, he was very unique, but he was, I don't know about grooming me, I didn't take it at that, I never heard the word."

READ MORE: Priscilla Presley 'concerned' when Michael Jackson married daughter 'for her name'

Priscilla denies allegations that Elvis 'groomed' her (Michael Ochs Archives)

Pricilla reflects on times Elvis would buy her new clothing she couldn't afford herself (Getty Images for ABA)

She said that despite their large age gap, Elvis was very gentle with her and that their connection was mainly based on emotion, adding that they didn't have a sexual relationship at the time. Priscilla told TalkTV: "I understand, but I was 14 in Germany, and there was always people around, and our talks were yes, private, but he never ever, ever, ever was aggressive, nor did he ever make love to me. I was somehow, like I said earlier, someone he trusted to talk to and pour his heart out.”

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In the interview, Priscilla gave an inside look at their young relationship saying that Elvis would often buy her clothes and she would "dress up" for him, which was something that was normal at the time. She said: "I mean obviously it's all new now, but you know he loved to take me to beautiful stores to buy me an outfit. I didn't have any money."

She recalled that she and Elvis would go to the movies every night which was when they would get dressed up together. She said that he would buy her new clothes to make her "look good" and "not feel bad" that she didn't have "suitable" clothing for where they were going. Priscilla added that if you would've been Elvis' incredible fashion sense, it would make more sense why he dressed her.

Pricilla added that she wanted to dress up for Elvis the way that her mother did for her father. She recalled: “It was a different time, it was the early 60s, the early 60s, and I compare this to my mother. My mother, my father was in the military, my mother would dress up for my father every day, when he came home from work, she was dressed up," she added: "That was, and women were that way, we were, not that it was just for our men, but we took care of ourselves and we wanted to be, when I say we, I include myself."

Caroline Gaspich