From the moment she was born, Lisa Marie’s Presley’s entire life has been in front of the cameras. But Graceland offered a respite away from the public eye. For Lisa Marie growing up, Elvis Presley wasn’t the King of Rock ‘n Roll or one of the biggest superstars in music. He was her father first and foremost.
Lisa Marie Presley described growing up on Elvis’ Graceland estate as a place of pure happiness. She said her childhood felt “magical” and also “loving.”
“All she knew was her dad loved her and she loved him,” an insider told OK Magazine.
Elvis and His Lavish Gifts
Presley and her father were close throughout her early life. He would often lavish her with gifts and treated Graceland like her own personal kingdom. Both father and daughter would swim in the estate’s swimming pool. They would also race around the mansion in a Go-Cart that Lisa Marie’s grandfather Vernon up-kept.
Elvis Presley often spoiled his daughter despite his best wishes. For instance, he pulled strings so Lisa Marie Presley could meet her favorite singer Elton John. It was a birthday gift for his daughter on her seventh birthday. That same year he also introduced Lisa Marie to pop singer Michael Jackson. Later in her life, the two would reconnect as adults and marry for a brief two years.
But Elvis Presley also had his reservations on how much he spoiled his daughter with his extravagant lifestyle.
“When Lisa Marie was born, E.P. phoned me to say how he was so moved by the experience,” Nancy has said. “But also he felt that it was not fair she would have all the benefits of being the daughter of a rich and famous dad, while a poor kid would face a life of want. His heart was so full of love and pain that night.”
Lisa Marie Presley and Her Mother
Meanwhile, Lisa Marie Presley had a bad relationship with her mother Priscilla. As a child, she would resent going to stay with her mother after the couple’s divorce in 1973. Priscilla often acted as the opposite of her husband, refusing to give her daughter the same treatment.
When Elvis died in 1977, Lisa Marie and Priscilla’s relationship deteriorated even further. Elvis’ daughter was devastated by his death and lashed out having to live with her mother in Los Angeles. She often reflected on her time at Graceland as one of the happiest and still visits the mansion once a year.
