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Elvis Presley, Priscilla Presley attends a photocall for the film "Elvis" during the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 26, 2022© Getty

Priscilla Presley's difficult confession about raising Lisa Marie Presley with Elvis Presley – why they didn't have more children

Amid the release of Sofia Coppola's biopic Priscilla, starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, the late King of Rock and Roll's ex-wife opened up about their marriage

Beatriz Colon
Beatriz Colon - New York
New York WriterNew York
November 6, 2023
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Priscilla Presley has lived a life in the spotlight since before she was even an adult, after her late ex-husband Elvis Presley became infatuated with her in 1959, when she was 14 and he was 24, and they were both living in West Germany.

Though attention on the American icon ebbs and flows, her life, especially her life with Elvis, has been thrust under the magnifying glass once more with the release of Sofia Coppola's highly anticipated biopic, Priscilla, based on her 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, and executive produced by her.

Now, as fans of the star get to see her side of the oft-recounted story of her six years with Elvis – via a stellar portrayal by newcomer Cailee Spaeny – Priscilla is also getting candid about her life with and after the King of Rock and Roll.

WATCH: The Life of Lisa Marie Presley

During a Q&A event at the South Point Casino in Las Vegas over the weekend, Priscilla, 78, opened up about raising her late daughter Lisa Marie Presley, and why she and Elvis never had more children after welcoming their first and only daughter in 1968, one year after they tied the knot.

"Elvis felt he had a very busy schedule and he did have a bit of guilt that he wasn't around that much when Lisa was younger," she confessed.

The actress added: "With his scheduling and his touring, he just felt he wasn't around enough to give a lot of attention to having another child."

Wedding Photos of Elvis Presley to Priscilla on May 01,1967© Getty
The iconic couple wed on May 1, 1967

Elvis and Priscilla divorced in 1973 after six years of marriage when she was 27 years old, and he passed four years later aged 42 after suffering from a heart attack.

MORE: Priscilla Presley breaks down in tears as she reveals heartbreaking details on late daughter Lisa Marie months before death

MORE: Lisa Marie Presley's million-dollar estate in financial trouble again after Riley Keough, Priscilla Presley dispute

At the time, Lisa Marie was nine years old, and in another recent conversation with Piers Morgan, Priscilla recalled the moment she first learned of her ex-husband's sudden passing. "I can still hear Joe Esposito's [Elvis' road manager] words, 'Cilla, Elvis is dead,'" she said.

Elvis Presley with his wife Priscilla Beaulieu Presley and their 4 day old daughter Lisa Marie Presley on February 5, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee© Getty
Lisa Marie, born in 1968, passed away aged 54 in January of 2023

She continued: "That was like, I just couldn't imagine him ever, especially at his age and all, still so young and wanting to do so much and had so much planned, and not having him, not talking to him, not having him be the father of our child," adding: "My big fear was Lisa. And how do I tell her."

Harper Vivienne Ann Lockwood, Lisa Marie Presley, Priscilla Presley, Riley Keough, and Finley Aaron Love Lockwood attend the Handprint Ceremony honoring Three Generations of Presley's at TCL Chinese Theatre on June 21, 2022 in Hollywood, California© Getty
Priscilla, Lisa Marie, and her daughters Riley Keough and twins Harper and Finley in 2022

After Elvis' death, Priscilla never remarried, though she did have a long term relationship and a child with Brazilian multi-hyphenate Marco Garibaldi (née Marco Antonio García). The two were together from 1984 until 2006, and in 1987, they welcomed son Navarone Garibaldi.

MORE: Priscilla Presley makes show of support for Lisa Marie's twin daughters amid bittersweet milestone following family legal battle

Priscilla Presley with Marco Garibaldi attend the Jubilation 2000 concert June 1, 2000 at the home of producer Alan Ladd Jr. in Beverly Hills, CA© Getty
Priscilla and Marco were together for 22 years

During her recent Q&A in Las Vegas, she was also candid about her decision not to remarry, and admitted to the crowd: "I just don't think that [Elvis] could handle that.

"To be honest with you, I never wanted to marry after him. I never had any desire," she continued, maintaining: "No one could ever match him."

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