PRISCILLA PRESLEY - DEVIL IN DISGUISE?

Astrology vs. publicity

This article aims to illustrate two intertwined principles, using the story of Elvis Presley’s ex-wife as a fitting example: Firstly, the problem of unquestioningly accepting something that is presented via endless repetition, which naturally goes far beyond trivial celebrity gossip. Secondly, the difference between a person’s image and their unmasked nature as revealed by their birth chart. As with any public figure, it can be very hard to discern fact from fiction, particularly in such a case as the Elvis & Priscilla tale, in which authors and journalists have been repeating the same version in unison for years in more or less sensationalized form. Many people seem to think that something is “well documented”, and therefore true, simply because it is echoed often enough, while the sources they confidently cite copy from one another or print whatever a PR agency has sent to them.

Amidst two diametrically opposed narratives about Priscilla that I will outline here, the “official” one dominating by a landslide, astrology can give some rare clarity without sugarcoating, exaggeration or emotional bias. While PR can hide someone‘s core personality, the birth chart cannot.

Priscilla was married to Elvis, whose astrology I will dedicate a seperate post to, for 6 years from 1967 to 1973. The widely popular version of Priscilla’s character and life is that of a gentle, compassionate, shy, soft-spoken lady who was groomed as a teenager and was extremely stifled by Elvis’ control over her, eventually escaping her toxic marriage in order to find her own identity, and becoming an acclaimed actress and savvy business woman who dedicates her efforts to keeping her late ex-husband’s legacy alive.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, new/ old scandals concerning Elvis’ alleged dominance over Priscilla, going hand in hand with his supposedly well documented taste for underage girls, have been rehashed en masse. The latter, salacious saga can be traced back to Albert Goldman’s widely referenced 1980 biography (some say hatchet job) and recently much-cited author Joel Williamson who copied the unverified claims from Goldman, who openly despised Elvis and the Southern working class culture he originated from. While no one in their right mind would credit Elvis with immaculate sainthood, Goldman practically made him into Satan’s hillbilly cousin.

Sofia Coppola’s 2023 biopic Priscilla (with Priscilla herself credited as executive producer) has unleashed a veritable post- #MeToo online frenzy because the movie portrays Elvis as a predator. Synopsis: 14 year-old Priscilla Beaulieu is approached by a total stranger asking her if she wants to meet Elvis – 24 year-old Elvis immediately sets his sights on the introverted girl, remarking that her young age would allow him to mold her into the woman he wants her to be – the adult rock star begins to pursue the child and eventually entangles her in his web of manipulation, abuse and neglect.

Yikes.

The movie points a glaring spotlight at everything Priscilla supposedly endured under Elvis’ possessive and emotionally cruel regime, amplifying what the press has been regurgitating about Priscilla

• being under Elvis’ relentlessly critical scrutiny and made to look a certain way and wear certain things while not permitted to wear others

• not being allowed to voice her opinion unless it flatters his fragile ego

• being groomed by him and then discarded after the birth of their daughter because he couldn’t make love to women who had given birth (because of his virgin fetish and mommy issues)

• having to endure his violent, drug-infused temper tantrums (throwing chairs at her and such).

The movie shows Priscilla as a painfully shy, almost spineless young girl who is trapped in a gilded cage, mind-controlled into playing the living doll for a rich and powerful older man who shamelessly exploits her vulnerability. Peak Sofia Coppola.

The movie is based on Priscilla’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, co-written by Hollywood insider-turned TV producer Sandra Harmon and used as the basis for pretty much everything the public has been presented about their relationship.

Priscilla was released one year after Baz Luhrman’s spectacularly successful ELVIS biopic and promoted with the message that feminist advocate Sofia Coppola is giving Priscilla a voice to finally tell her side of the story. In reality, Priscilla has been telling her side of the story worldwide, for decades, to every popular magazine and TV show known to man. However, it contains very peculiar contradictions and inconsistencies, too many to list here, but here is one example: if Elvis was so haunted by his virgin/ mommy hang-up as per Priscilla’s account, then how come he had several, historically verifiable relationships with women who were single mothers?

Having initially praised Coppola’s factual accuracy, executive producer Priscilla later distanced herself from a scene in which a frustrated Elvis throws a chair at her – after receiving backlash for contradicting her own book, in which Elvis does not throw a chair at her in the corresponding scene, nor had the intention to do so. Something that she has never once wavered about, however, is that Elvis refused to have intercourse with her until the wedding night, despite Priscilla, in her own words, “begging him to consummate our love”.

Priscilla came out with insinuations about control, abuse and bizarre bedroom kinks after Elvis was dead, and it was also during this time, in the late 1970s, that she got heavily involved with Scientology. The organization had courted Elvis before, but he reportedly called them “a bunch of goddamn freaks“.

Priscilla’s focus when recounting her time with Elvis heavily hones in on two main areas: their sex life and her appearance (and Elvis controlling it, as well as domineering over her activities and even her behavior). Naturally, these points have been picked up and repeated extensively by authors and journalists, eventually seeping into the hive mind of incensed social media comment sections.

Since there is so much emphasis on looks, let’s visit the dazzling world of 1960s fashion for a bit, shall we?

Priscilla wrote in her memoir: “He was very opinionated on what he wanted: ‘I don’t like you in that color. Brown isn’t good for you. Green looks horrible, it’s a dull color with no spark to it.‘“ – Elvis and Me, 1985

According to Priscilla, Elvis also devised her signature look with the teased black hair and heavy eye makeup, and practically forbade her to wear large or contrasting prints because he found them unflattering for her petite frame. Should we therefore assume that he threw one of his infamous, violent hissy fits after posing for these photos in which his tightly controlled wife is wearing exactly what he had specifically verboten?

A blonde Priscilla around the time of Elvis’ widely publicized affair with the strawberry blonde actress Ann-Margret, defying Elvis’ alleged black hair decree:

In 1973, during her first interview after the divorce, Priscilla made the following statements:

“When I went to Patricia Stevens [finishing school] I overdid it with makeup, because at that time I was going through the Cleopatra stage. … Now I see those old pictures of me with all that makeup and I think, 'Oh, how blind I was!' I wish that Elvis had said something, but he must have liked it because he never commented.“

“Elvis was not aggressive with me, he never pushed. He was very gentle“.

“'It was difficult for Elvis to buy for me, and a lot of times he would just tell me to get what I wanted, which I liked.“

https://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/articles/1973-priscilla-presley-ladies-home-journal.html

In a recent Instagram post, Priscilla claims that she was responsible for her own look and style, openly contradicting the religiously recited narrative, introduced by herself and intensely highlighted in Coppola’s film, that Elvis dressed her up like his own personal living doll.

Author Suzanne Finstad points out in her somewhat deceptively titled book Child Bride (Priscilla was almost 22 when she married Elvis) that, according to numerous acquaintances, friends and even some ex-boyfriends of Priscilla’s, it was in fact she who had always been obsessed with her own appearance, courtesy of her mother, formerly an aspiring model/ actress, who taught her how to style herself. She was allegedly also obsessed with Elvis and fiercely determined to meet and date him. Before their first encounter, she allegedly recreated the hairstyle of Elvis’ huge crush, Debra Paget, with whom he had starred in his first movie Love Me Tender, in order to appeal to Elvis’ taste in women.

There is a popular notion that Elvis was searching for a woman that reminded him of his beloved mother, who died shortly before he met Priscilla. He was also a deeply spiritual man who had an obsession with finding his soulmate, and is quoted as saying in confidante Larry Geller’s 1989 biography, If I Can Dream:

Child Bride asserts that Priscilla was encouraged by her opportunistic parents who nudged Elvis’ choice in favor of their daughter with the looming threat of a lawsuit. The book also presents an alternative version of events in which it wasn’t the complete stranger who approached Priscilla out of the blue, asking her if she wanted to meet Elvis (which is what Priscilla has been maintaining for decades), but that it was she who brazenly approached the 20-something after learning that he was with the star’s crew, agreeing to sleep with him in exchange for an introduction to Elvis.

Due to her nebulous retellings about when exactly she went to live with Elvis after he returned to the USA following his Army discharge (fact-check: she was almost 18 upon moving to Memphis, and there were scarce visits with prolonged periods of separation in between), the idea of a leering pervert snatching an underage girl away from her star-struck parents has become accepted fact for many. According to various insider accounts, Elvis was not at all fixated on Priscilla after returning home to his 21 year-old, steady girlfriend Anita Wood. It was Wood who later reported finding letter upon letter by Priscilla in which she implored Elvis to please talk to her dad so she could come visit.

According to Child Bride, Priscilla assumed a fake persona in order to impress Elvis after being instructed by his friend about his preferences, following the aforementioned, alleged groupie business (“let him do the talking, don’t act like a giddy fan, he doesn’t like forward girls”). According to this version of events, she was not only shy, but practically mute during her first meeting with Elvis, thus providing the perfect canvas for him to project his idealized fantasies upon.

During their subsequent encounters, she – allegedly – pretended to be eager to be a housewife and mother, concealing her secret ambition (instilled into her by her “stage mom”) to become famous in her own right.

In Finstad’s book, but also in Geller’s account and that of numerous people inside and outside of Elvis’ circle, young Priscilla comes across as extremely ambitious, callous even, despite presenting herself as a sweet, unassuming girl with a poise and sophistication beyond her years.

Let’s see what Priscilla’s natal chart has to say:

Tl;dr (too long, didn’t read) version, because this article has already been so extensive:

According to her chart, Priscilla couldn’t possibly be a timid or humble person by nature, and certainly not submissive or easy to control. The chart reveals that she is feisty, hot-blooded and curageous, intent on achieving a certain status in the world and that she does not like to play second fiddle to anyone, while also being strongly attracted to men who embody leadership and virility. It shows a bright, pragmatic, remarkably self-possessed alpha personality who can be emotionally detached, but is also quite self-critical on a deep level and harbors a subconscious fear of abandonment or not being enough, who is inventive (including a penchant for creative expression and for reinventing herself), very resourceful, and quite shrewd when she wants to be.

In case this needs mentioning: I keep my personal opinions out of astrology, I’m not married to my emotional responses, and I am not trying to villify the character of one side while romanticizing the flaws of the other. I’m much more interested in the math that isn’t always mathing in the “official” story than someone’s moral virtue who has no bearing on my life whatsoever.

Detailed analysis:

Sun in Gemini – this sign is highly intelligent and can contribute to someone being emotionally detached, but it is not intrinsically manipulative or fickle. It simply brings a great deal of flexibility and adaptability, curiosity, and a playful spark that, in Priscilla’s case, isn’t immediately obvious (see below).

Capricorn ascendant – serious demeanor, can seem aloof and reserved, takes some time to open up to people. This cardinal earth sign is ruled by Saturn, making it the most hard-nosed, enduring sign of all that can be incredibly persistent. There is also a high degree of material ambition, and an inner drive to create a name for oneself or leave some kind of legacy (often later in life).

Moon in Scorpio – tends to hold grudges for a long time, is extremely stubborn and can be fiercely protective of their loved ones. Scorpio Moon can give someone a mysterious je ne sais quoi that makes them hard to pin down while hiding their emotions behind an excellent poker face. In women, a Scorpio Moon can hint at a (sexual) preference to be controlled aka potential tendencies towards a less “vanilla” love life. The latter would have to be supported by other placements, though.

The Moon is making a trine to Saturn in Cancer right on the DC, conjunct the North Node (some kind of difficulty with the mother and/ or father as Saturn, the stern father archetype, is the exact opposite of Cancer’s soft, maternal nature). Saturn in the 7th house (the house of relationships) in particular can show someone’s preference for older or dominant partners, a strong attraction to partners who possess status and authority, and also a potential tendency towards taking on other people’s problems and responsibilities.

The Moon being in the 10th house of public image and career can show a person who is very much focused on her status and position in the world, and how others perceive her.

Mars conjunct Venus in Aries – very forward, not shy AT ALL, goes for what they want, enjoys (romantic) conquest, “hot“ sexual temper, can be sexually aggressive, can have high romantic ideals. Venus is in detriment in Aries, which can express itself in boredom as soon as the object of desire has been conquered.

Uranus in Gemini conjunct the Sun and the Part of Spirit (motivation, mind, temper, purpose) emphasizes the need for diversion, especially intellectually. There is a strong drive towards creative expression, mental stimulation and also a degree of instability when it comes to self-esteem (5th house theme). It can indicate powerful obsessions with ideas as well as fluctuating interests such as going from one hobby to the next (possibly also fluctuating romantic interests), a highly-strung nervous system and difficulties relaxing one’s mind.

Pluto square Moon – potential relationship drama/ power plays and not being too comfortable letting one’s guard down. Pluto in Leo is a leader personality, and trine Mars (men in her life), she is very much attracted to leaders and even macho types. The man she was dating when she divorced Elvis, karate champion Mike Stone, would be a prime example for that. Mars also represents one’s ego and sex drive, and both are very pronounced. Mars in Aries in particular represents taking charge since Mars rules this sign (and in a woman’s chart, also going for men who know what they want and go for it), and an eruptive temper.

Jupiter in Virgo – high standards, very selective (Jupiter is in detriment in Virgo, whose tendency towards perfectionism and nitpicking limits Jupiter’s natural optimism and desire for expansion). Conjunct Chiron (an area of vulnerability), this can be an overly critical or self-critical person in whom Virgo’s powerful healer archetype is stifled and becomes repressed and potentially toxic. In the 8th house, this can also mean a lot of psychological restraint, a feeling of not being good enough or being afraid of making mistakes. This ties in very well with Priscilla’s often noted poise and self-possesion (also thanks to her Capricorn ascendant). She may have a deep-seated insecurity about herself despite her fearless leader qualities (Virgo placements squaring Gemini placements and Jupiter squaring Nemesis in Sagittarius in the 12th house). In addition to her aforementioned determination, stubbornness and desire to “be somebody“, this can create an inner tension resulting in never being quite satisfied, always wanting to be more and to achieve more.

Mercury in Taurus – can express itself in a highly practical person for whom a stable home and family life (Taurus on the 4th house cusp) is extremely important. Mercury stands for mental processes, money and business, so here’s someone who has likely grown up in a materially secure (though not necessarily wealthy) home in which the focus was very much on financial comfort. Trine her ascendant in Capricorn and the Virgo placements, Priscilla seems to be someone for whom material wealth is quite important, but who has difficulties with shared finances or inheritance (8th house placements). Priscilla’s many legal battles concerning Elvis’ legacy could fill a book.

Pluto in Leo square Mercury in Taurus – potential obsession with glamour, beauty and luxury since Leo represents these things, Pluto’s squares generally indicate obsession and Pluto is squaring Mercury (mind, money, business) in Taurus (material comfort). This can mean that she greatly values self-improvement and cultivating her own personal style, is not afraid to stand out, and is constantly working on enhancing herself and her material circumstances.

Part of Nemesis (part of “death“, secrets, grief, isolation, limiting circumstances) square Jupiter + Chiron in Virgo – a profound sense of loneliness, having a hard time being spontaneous and light-hearted (although such a person can be, under the right circumstances). Nemesis is ruled by Saturn, here in the soft, motherly sign of Cancer. This can show a strong connection with the mother, but also a disconnection from a truly nurturing and warm maternal presence in one’s life, maybe due to the mother having an overbearing influence or something connected to ancestral secrets (12th house theme).

Part of Victory (collaborative partnerships, spirituality, eagerness to do good, intrinsic optimism, luck/ success/ resilience) conjunct Neptune retrograde in Libra – another sign of good poker face potential, seeks partnerships with intelligent and creative people, spirituality and beliefs tend to be systematic and logically oriented rather than based on emotions.

Neptune retrograde opposite Mars – indirect rage and passive-aggressive tendencies are possible, capable of outwitting others, very crafty.

© Olivia Solner

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