Introduction:
When it comes to Elvis Presley, the name alone evokes a legacy of music, charm, and unrelenting fame. But behind the velvet curtain of stardom was a deeply personal story—one not just about the man who changed music forever, but the loves who changed him. While Elvis only ever married once—to Priscilla Presley—it was his passionate affair with actress and singer Ann-Margret that continues to fascinate fans and historians alike. Their electric connection, forged on the set of Viva Las Vegas, nearly rivaled the King’s iconic relationship with Priscilla and left a permanent mark on his emotional legacy.
Elvis met Priscilla when she was just 14 and he was 24. By today’s standards, their age gap raises serious questions, but at the time, their budding romance was enveloped in a fog of celebrity charm and a very different social context. Stationed in Germany during his military service, Elvis was taken by Priscilla’s youth, innocence, and quiet beauty—qualities he later admitted reminded him of his late mother, Gladys. Over the years, he gradually molded her into the partner he imagined, eventually convincing her parents to let her move into Graceland, where she would finish high school under his watchful eye. Their marriage came in 1967, but not without emotional turbulence—much of it tied to another woman: Ann-Margret.
Ann-Margret, a rising star in her own right, was unlike anyone Elvis had met. Fiercely ambitious, wildly talented, and often dubbed the “female Elvis,” she captivated him instantly during their time on Viva Las Vegas. Their chemistry was undeniable, both on-screen and off. In her memoir My Story, Ann-Margret candidly described Elvis as her soulmate—two kindred spirits who shared more than fame. They were both deeply shy yet emotionally volatile, drawn to the edge of self-destruction, and both carried childlike vulnerabilities behind their iconic facades.
Though the affair was short-lived, it burned intensely. Priscilla, still engaged to Elvis at the time, found herself devastated by the betrayal. Her memoir Elvis and Me recalls moments of raw emotion, including the day she shattered a flower vase upon hearing of the infidelity. Yet, despite the emotional storm, Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’s manager, pushed him to keep his promise and marry Priscilla—solidifying the union the world expected.
Even after their romantic chapter closed, Elvis and Ann-Margret remained close friends. She never spoke ill of him, even after marrying actor Roger Smith, with whom she stayed for five decades. Elvis continued to send her flowers before performances, and she was among the few Hollywood figures to attend his funeral in 1977.
In the end, both relationships defined different sides of Elvis: Priscilla was the carefully sculpted dream he tried to build, while Ann-Margret was the mirror of his own fiery, untamed soul. Each woman knew a different Elvis—and each, in her own way, left an indelible imprint on the man who became a legend.