Exactly 40 years ago today, Priscilla Presley gave readers an unprecedented look inside her complicated relationship with Elvis Presley in her bombshell memoir, Elvis and Me.
Co-written with Sandra Harmon, Elvis and Me was published on Sept. 19, 1985, nearly eight years after Elvis’ death. Priscilla’s narrative painted the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in a light that fans had never seen him in before, as she exposed details from the couple’s private life together.
The memoir presented a more complicated portrait of life with Elvis, including the unconventional beginning of their relationship. Priscilla was 14 years old when she met Elvis, who was 24 and serving in the U.S. Army in West Germany in 1959. They were married by 1967, and welcomed their only child together, daughter Lisa Marie Presley, in February 1968.
Some of the most talked-about and controversial details that Priscilla revealed in her book included claims about Elvis’ influence over her appearance and lifestyle, his drug use and the difficulties that eventually contributed to the breakdown of their marriage. Priscilla also wrote openly about her own experiences, including two affairs she had while married to Elvis.
Fans and critics alike were left divided over Priscilla’s portrayal of her famous former husband, as it shattered the romanticized public image of Elvis at a time when he was no longer alive to defend himself or tell his own side of the story.
Despite the criticism, readers embraced the book. Elvis and Me became a bestseller and reached No. 1 on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction list, cementing its place among the most prominent books written about the late icon. In honor of the book’s 40th anniversary, Priscilla released two new special edition hardcovers of Elvis and Me, which feature her personal autograph inside.
Elvis and Me would later serve as the source material for Sofia Coppola‘s 2023 film Priscilla, a project that earned a scathing review from Lisa Marie before her death, as she called the script a “shockingly vengeful and contemptuous” portrayal of her late father.
In 2025, Priscilla published her second memoir, Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, which also garnered its fair share of controversy. Elvis’ cousin, Donna Presley, publicly sounded off on Priscilla for the “false claims” made in her book, accusing her of flat-out lying and trying to “silence” the Presley family.
Related: 1955 Country Track, Made Famous by Elvis Presley, Was Later Covered by the King of Folk
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