Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis

Softly, As I Leave You details Priscilla Beaulieu Presley’s marriage to, divorce from, and life after Elvis Presley. Her first-person account is contextualized by Elvis Presley’s fame and legacy. Often referred to as the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley came from humble beginnings. He was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Vernon and Gladys Presley, neither of whom came from money. A natural talent, Elvis rose to stardom soon after he began performing in 1954. He quickly became a figure of much acclaim and controversy. In particular, Elvis’s blend of music popularized by Black performers and country music during an era of complex race relations made him the subject of much discussion. Elvis also had a deep love for gospel music, seeking to honor his religious upbringing in his work. Elvis was also known for his provocative stage performances, clad in glittering suits and referred to as “Elvis the Pelvis” for his gyrating dance moves.

Elvis met Priscilla in Germany in the late 1950s. Elvis and Priscilla’s father Paul Beaulieu were stationed there with the Armed Forces. Priscilla and Elvis started seeing each other when she was 14 and he was 24. Much has been written about the potential inequities and abuses that may have arisen from this age gap. Often, the relationship is presented as an arranged marriage inspired by her parents’ opportunism. Other accounts portray the marriage as abusive and featuring stark power disparity. In her 1985 memoir Elvis and Me: The True Story of the Love Between Priscilla Presley and the King of Rock N’ Roll, Priscilla both underscores her deep and abiding love for Elvis and also describes Elvis’s controlling and emotionally abusive treatment of her. In her 2025 memoir, however, Priscilla reframes their dynamic, repeatedly asserting that while Elvis had a temper and was egotistical, he was also gentle and generous at heart. Sofia Coppola’s 2023 movie Priscilla, based on Priscilla’s 1985 memoir, also presents the marriage in a more nuanced manner.

Elvis died in 1977 at the age of 42. The leading cause of death was a heart attack, but a bowel obstruction and a history of chronic constipation due to overuse of prescription medications contributed to the fatality. Elvis’s early death shocked the world, and stunned those closest to him. In Softly, As I Leave You, Priscilla conveys the difficulties of grieving the man she loved while the rest of the globe was grieving the loss of an icon. Much of Priscilla’s identity has been defined by her work to preserve Elvis’s legacy; she wants this memoir to demystify and destigmatize her character.