Warning: This post contains major spoilers for Priscilla

Summary

• Priscilla Presley confronted Elvis about getting a divorce after feeling unfulfilled in their relationship due to his constant touring and rumors of affairs.
• Elvis didn't want Priscilla to leave Graceland because it allowed him control over her and kept her in the dark about his affairs.
• Elvis gave Priscilla pills to sleep and stay awake, showing his manipulative and controlling behavior. Priscilla's final moment with Elvis was her liberation and a step towards living her own life.

Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla documents the life Priscilla Presley shared with Elvis Presley, and it ends with Priscilla asking her husband for a divorce. Starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi as Priscilla and Elvis, respectively, Priscilla’s ending sees the two lovebirds growing more distant from each other. For so long, Priscilla had been cooped up in Graceland, with only the occasional visit to Los Angeles or Las Vegas with Elvis. Following the birth of their daughter, Lisa Marie, Priscilla tried initiating sex with Elvis but was rejected. Meanwhile, the rumors of his affairs with co-stars continued to grow.

Elvis being away so much, playing in Las Vegas and touring, continued taking a toll on his relationship with Priscilla. She was not being fulfilled in various instances, and it was chipping away at their marriage. Knowing they were living separate lives, and with the constant rumors surrounding Elvis’ affairs with other women, Priscilla confronts him for the last time as his wife. She tells him she wants a divorce and that Elvis is losing her to a life of her own. Priscilla and Elvis left each other on amicable , and Priscilla went on to live a separate life while Elvis continued touring and making music.

Why Elvis Refused To Sleep With Priscilla Until They Got Married

Priscilla met Elvis when she was just 14 years old, and moved into Graceland during her senior year of high school. Throughout their courtship, Priscilla became frustrated that Elvis wouldn’t have sex with her. Elvis, on the other hand, saw Priscilla as pure. Per Priscilla Presley’s memoir, Elvis and Me, Elvis believed that “the ‘right’ girl was to be saved for marriage.” Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship wasn’t exactly traditional, but while she yearned to be intimate with her partner, Elvis didn’t want to cross that line because of the way he perceived Priscilla and their relationship.

Another reason was that Elvis believed Priscilla was too young to consummate their love. Elvis was ten years her senior, and so he saw Priscilla in a certain way that extended beyond her age. Whereas Elvis continued to sleep with other women, his treatment of Priscilla was influenced by purity culture, abstaining from sex until deemed appropriate (within marriage). To Elvis, Priscilla wasn’t like other women and treated her as fragile and naive. That translated to the bedroom, though it didn’t stop the couple from doing other sex-related things before getting married.

The Real Reason Elvis Didn’t Want Priscilla To Leave Graceland

Priscilla points to there being a lot of control of the film’s subject throughout her relationship. Their situation was unique at the time, Elvis didn’t seem to want Priscilla out and about lest the press got wind of the relationship. More than that, however, Elvis seemingly didn’t want Priscilla to know about his affairs or be involved in other aspects of his life outside Graceland. Priscilla staying cooped up in Graceland allowed Elvis the freedom to live his celebrity lifestyle without question. By Priscilla Presley’s own ission, she was Elvis’ “living doll,” and he would choose her clothes and tell her he liked more makeup.

This showcased the control he had over her and the way he shaped Priscilla’s life and looks. If Priscilla left Graceland, Elvis wouldn’t have been able to influence her in the same way. She was cooped up and isolated, which allowed Elvis to keep her under his thumb for the duration of their relationship while he got to live a life outside of it. Priscilla was young enough not to question things too much, and remaining at Graceland kept her in the dark about what was really going on with Elvis and the way her relationship was perceived.

What Pills Did Elvis Give Priscilla During Their Relationship?

Priscilla shows Elvis Presley giving his wife pills over the years. In one instance, the pills he gave Priscilla knocked her out for two days. In others, Elvis would say that the pills would help her stay awake during her classes after staying up until four in the morning with Elvis and his friends. What Elvis gave Priscilla to help her sleep were two 500-milligram pills of Placidyl (via Express), an often addictive red-capsuled drug that was used as a sedative. Priscilla also took amphetamines throughout the couple’s relationship to be alert.

The Deeper Significance Of Priscilla’s Final Moment With Elvis

Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship became strained over time and the pair was practically living apart by the end. When Priscilla confronts Elvis about getting a divorce, Elvis says he doesn’t want to lose her and she says he’s losing her to a life of her own, signifying the fact that she’s finally come into her own and wants to live her life on her own , away from control and misery. Priscilla’s final moment with Elvis was a moment of empowerment; despite the love she still had for Elvis, Priscilla wanted to leave her marriage behind so she could explore her life in the way she wanted to live it.

Priscilla Presley hadn’t yet had the experience to do so because she had lived with Elvis for so long. And she had yet to reveal this truth to Elvis. Finally stepping out and away from his shadow was a big deal for Priscilla, who had become discontent with her life and living arrangements. Telling Elvis she wanted to live a life of her own was the biggest step Priscilla had ever taken. The moment asserted the choice she had made, to live an independent life free of the loneliness, lies, and sexual inattentiveness.

How Priscilla Compares To Other Depictions Of Elvis

Priscilla’s depiction of Elvis Presley is a bit more sinister and unromantic compared to the way he’s been portrayed in other media. The singer was known for his music and charm, and it’s often how he was depicted in films as well. Whereas Austin Butler’s Elvis Presley was charismatic and a perceived victim of his manager Colonel Tom Parker’s control and financial greed, Jacob Elordi’s version of Elvis is sensitive but aloof, quietly controlling and disparaging. It’s a different perception of Elvis than most are used to, especially since much of the media portraying the singer is focused on him and his story while Priscilla takes a back seat.

What Happened To Priscilla After The Movie Ended

After Priscilla Presley and Elvis officially separated, Elvis filed for divorce in January 1973. Priscilla went to live with karate instructor Mike Stone, who she was seeing near the end of her marriage with Elvis. In the immediate aftermath of their divorce, Priscilla opened a successful clothing store with a friend, turned Graceland into a tourist attraction a few years after Elvis’ death in 1977, and became the president of Elvis Presley Enterprises.

Priscilla Presley also made a name for herself as an actress, starring in The Naked Gun movies opposite Leslie Nielsen and in the hit TV show Dallas, where she played Jenna Wade for five seasons. Offscreen, Priscilla produced films such as Finding Graceland and Netflix’s animated series Agent Elvis. This was all in addition to raising Lisa Marie, and though Priscilla never got married again after Elvis, she was with Brazilian screenrwriter Marco Antonio Garcia for a little over two decades. The pair had a son together, Navarone Garibaldi.