Priscilla Presley is an American businesswoman and actress who has an estimated net worth of around $50 million as of 2023.
She is best known as the wife of legendary singer Elvis Presley. She has built a successful career in her different ventures.
Priscilla Presley Net Worth
Table of Contents
Priscilla Presley has an estimated net worth of $50 million as of 2023. Most of her wealth comes from the late Elvis Presley’s estate, which includes the hugely lucrative Graceland property and tourism venture.
After Elvis passed away in 1977, Priscilla became the executor of his estate, which her husband left to their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. Priscilla later founded Elvis Presley Enterprises in 1980, overseeing all commercial utilization of Elvis’ image, likeness, and music catalog.
Under Priscilla’s leadership, Graceland was opened to public tours in 1982 and soon became one of the top tourist attractions in America, drawing over 500,000 visitors per year by the late 1980s.
Graceland remains the centerpiece asset, generating millions in annual revenues from ticket sales and licensing deals. Priscilla also earns income from her other business endeavors, including her high-end linen firm and production company.
Early Life and Background
Priscilla was born in 1945 in Brooklyn, New York, to James and Ann Wagner. Her father was in the US Navy, and the family moved frequently due to his deployments before eventually settling in Austin, Texas, when she was a teenager. She attended Catholic school and dreamed of becoming a nun when she was younger.
At her age of 14, Priscilla met Elvis Presley while he was in Germany with the US Army. Despite their age gap, they started dating and were deeply infatuated with each other. They married in 1967 when she was 21, and he was 32, at the height of his fame.
Rise to Fame
Priscilla Presley went from being an ordinary young girl to becoming a global celebrity known as Elvis Presley’s wife and widow.
She met Elvis in 1959, and the couple was instantly enamored. They spent every moment together before Elvis had to return to the US.
They maintained contact, and after years of persuasion, Priscilla’s parents allowed her to visit Graceland for two weeks in 1962. Elvis eventually convinced her parents to let her stay to finish high school. Priscilla later dropped out and started taking private acting and modeling lessons. She also regularly accompanied Elvis to Hollywood film sets and events as rumors spread about his young girlfriend.
After a nearly 8 year courtship captured heavily by global media, Priscilla and Elvis wed in a private ceremony in 1967. She was just 21 years old, while Elvis was 32 and at the peak of his career. Priscilla signed an agreement to keep their ceremony private, giving their wedding images exclusively to LIFE magazine for a $105,000 fee, which was an enormous sum then.
Acting and Modeling Career
After marrying Elvis, Priscilla began taking acting and modeling courses. She debuted in some minor roles before landing a starring role alongside her husband in the 1968 film Live a Little, Love a Little.
She continued getting small roles until she got her big break playing Jenna Wade on the hit TV series Dallas from 1983 to 1988. That launched her acting career, and she starred in The Naked Gun trilogy and several other movies and TV shows over the next few decades.
Priscilla did modeling work and was the spokesperson for the skincare brand BeautyRx in the 2000s. She also competed in Dancing with the Stars in 2008, finishing 5th place.
Source of Income
Most of Priscilla Presley’s income stems from Graceland operations and Elvis Presley Enterprises. She founded the company in 1980, which handles the licensing of Elvis’ image and likeness in addition to overseeing Graceland as a tourist attraction, which generates over $30 million annually for the business.
Priscilla Presley had her five-year stint on the primetime TV series Dallas in the 1980s and roles in The Naked Gun comedies and other shows, providing residual payouts that continue to this day.
However, she also launched several business ventures, including a high-end linens and bedding brand called the Priscilla Presley Collection, which earns licensing and distribution revenues globally.
Business Ventures
After Elvis passed away suddenly in 1977, Priscilla became the executor of his estate. She later founded Elvis Presley Enterprises to manage the Graceland property and turn it into a lucrative tourist attraction. Under her leadership, Graceland visitor numbers and revenues grew substantially.
However, Priscilla has several other successful business ventures, including a designer linen company called the Priscilla Presley Collection. She also owns a production company called PBP Productions. These commercial successes have significantly grown her net worth over the years.
Personal Life and Relationships
Priscilla and Elvis had one child together named Lisa Marie in 1968. Their marriage lasted 6 years before they divorced in 1973, although they remained close afterward.
After Elvis’s death, Priscilla had a long-term relationship with producer-director Marco Garibaldi, with whom she had a son named Navarone.
Priscilla also dated several high-profile men, including attorney Robert Kardashian, a close friend. In 1984, she married screenwriter-producer Marco Garibaldi, with whom she had her son Navarone before they split.
Philanthropy
Priscilla Presley is known for her extensive charity work and philanthropy, benefiting various causes over the past few decades.
One of her biggest areas of charitable focus is supporting efforts around reducing drug addiction and substance abuse. She has worked closely with and donated to numerous organizations in this realm, including the New Wings Center for Recovery in Memphis.
Also, it includes Scarlett Place Residential Drug & Alcohol Treatment Center and InnerBalance Health Center, among others. This cause is personal for Priscilla, given the prescription drug dependency issues Elvis faced during his lifetime.
However, Priscilla also started the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation, which supports various causes, including cancer research for children and youth programs. Major beneficiaries include St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, which focuses on pediatric medical care and receives grants from Priscilla’s foundation regularly.
Media and Public Perception
Priscilla Presley got intense public scrutiny and media attention as one of the most famous wives of the 20th century, married to an icon of Elvis. Tabloids and gossip magazines covered Elvis and Priscilla’s high-profile relationship from the 1960s onwards, including their extravagant 1967 wedding.
Priscilla has been the subject of numerous salacious rumors and speculation regarding her marriage to Elvis as well as her personal life after he passed away. Media coverage often attempted to paint her in an unflattering light with accusations about her motivations for marrying Elvis. Along with critiques of her acting abilities or business decisions later on.
FAQs on Priscilla Presley Net Worth
How old was Priscilla when she met Elvis?
Priscilla was only 14 when she met Elvis Presley in 1959 while he was in Germany with the U.S. Army. Despite their age gap of 10 years, they grew deeply fond of each other during Elvis’ stint in Germany.
How long were Priscilla and Elvis married?
Elvis and Priscilla had a courtship that lasted nearly 8 years before finally marrying in 1967. Their marriage lasted just 6 years before they divorced amicably in 1973. However, they remained close until Elvis’ sudden death in 1977 at the age of 42.
Does Priscilla Presley own Graceland?
Priscilla Presley owns Graceland – Elvis’ famed mansion – including most Elvis memorabilia. As the executor of Elvis’ estate, Graceland, he left it to her and Elvis’ daughter, Lisa Marie. Priscilla later formed Elvis Presley Enterprises and turned Graceland into a public museum.
What does Priscilla Presley do for a living?
Priscilla Presley is an actress, entrepreneur, and business magnate. Some of her key ventures beyond Elvis Presley Enterprises include a luxury linens production company and various investments and real estate holdings.
Bottom Lines
Priscilla Presley created a highly successful career beyond being Elvis Presley’s wife, prominent acting roles, modeling work, business ventures, and more. However, she has an estimated $50 million net worth through several lucrative ongoing projects and enduring fame.
Priscilla’s life and ventures will continue to be the subject of much fascination. Her marriages and relationships with famous men also draw intense public interest. From a young girl who met Elvis as a teenager to an astute septuagenarian businesswoman, Priscilla Presley has led an extraordinary life.
