Priscilla Presley's message to New Zealand ahead of November tour.
Priscilla Presley is reclaiming the limelight once more – this time, it’s in New Zealand.
The actor, businesswoman and former wife of Elvis Presley has announced two shows here later this year.
“An Evening with Priscilla Presley, Life After Elvis” is set for the Isaac Theatre in Christchurch on November19 and the Bruce Mason Theatre in Auckland on November 20.
The show is expected to offer a raw insight into Presley’s time at Graceland, her marriage to the King of Rock and Roll, and her journey after separating from him in 1973. It coincides with the release of her new memoir, Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, which is co-written by Mary Jane Ross and available in paperback in New Zealand from Saturday.
It will be the first time the 80-year-old New York native has come to New Zealand for a show of her own.
Priscilla and her husband Elvis on their wedding day in 1967. Photo / Getty Images
Speaking to People about the release of the new book, which covers eight decades of her life, Presley said: “Writing it has been a learning experience on many levels. I have reflected deeply both on myself and on those I love. I have always loved and admired Elvis, but the more than four decades of living without him have taught me how rare and extraordinary he was as a human being.”
Over the past few years, Presley has mostly appeared in media headlines over legal rows. In 2023, she settled a legal dispute with her granddaughter and actor Riley Keough regarding a family trust. Earlier this month, the New York Times reported she was sued for the second time by her former business partners – this time accusing her of fraud and seeking US$50 million ($86m).
In a statement, Presley’s lawyer Marty Singer called the new lawsuit “one of the most shameful, ridiculous, salacious and meritless lawsuits I have seen in my practice”.
Presley has also been significantly involved in recent films about Elvis, whom she met in West Germany when her family were living there because of her father’s job as a US Air Force officer. The 2023 box office hit Priscilla, directed by Sofia Coppola, was based on Presley’s memoir Elvis and Me, a personal account of her marriage to the music legend. She served as an executive producer for the movie, as well as for Baz Luhrmann’s film Elvis and for the Sony and Netflix animated series Agent King.
Tickets will go on sale for An Evening with Priscilla Presley, Life After Elvis, on September 2.
