Elvis at The O2: London exhibition shows Presley's legend is still growing, says Priscilla

The exhibition will feature more than 300 artefacts from Elvis Presley's Memphis home, Graceland, which represent the most intimate picture ever seen in public of Elvis’s journey from teen idol to movie star to rock icon
Legacy: Priscilla Presley at the 60 years of Elvis exhibition in Graceland (Pic: AP Photo/Lance Murphey)
Miranda Bryant4 November 2014

Priscilla Presley says the public’s fascination with Elvis has continued long after his death — and his popularity today goes beyond anything she saw in his lifetime.

The actress and businesswoman, who was married to the star for six years, made the comments as it was announced The O2 will host Europe’s biggest Elvis retrospective.

It will feature more than 300 artefacts from his Memphis home, Graceland, and will include a virtual tour of the mansion.

Presley, 69, who co-founded the company that turned Graceland into a top tourist attraction, told the Standard: “We knew he was popular, he had fans all over the world, but somehow the connection he had with people goes beyond what I ever saw before.

Soldier boy: Elvis in army uniform outside the mansion

“He loved the fans, he gave so much. It’s passed on to children, grandchildren. There is that fascination that has continued.”

She added: “His music and choices of music, people are endeared by him, and he also looked great, he was a wonderful specimen of a man, gorgeous, and he had wonderful talents, a beautiful spirit. He was the real deal.”

She said London was the perfect location for the exhibition because her ex-husband was “a big fan of the Brits”. “They [the British] have been supportive of him from the beginning and [he] always wanted to visit and perform there,” she said. “He’s very popular.” She added: “We’ve been wanting to do a large exhibition in Europe for some time now and when The O2 became available we knew this is the right time.”

Among the highlights of Elvis At The O2: The Exhibition Of His Life, will be the pool table that Elvis played on with The Beatles and a lightning bolt ring with TCB — “taking care of business”. Other exhibits include the American Eagle jumpsuit from Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii, the red 1960 MG Roadster from the film Blue Hawaii, his house keys, the signed champagne bottle from the couple’s wedding and his wallet containing a photograph of their daughter, singer Lisa Marie.

Elvis style: the star in the leather suit from his 1968 TV special, which will be on show at the O2

Presley said: “His father never threw away anything, we were blessed. It’s been great in that sense.” This Christmas, Presley is reprising her role as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Manchester. Presley, who will star with Warwick Davis, made her pantomime debut in Wimbledon two years ago.

She said Lisa Marie, 46, still has a home in Sussex and she would be coming to the pantomime with her children “cheering me on”. She said: “It’s so cute because [last year] the girls didn’t understand why I wasn’t the one marrying the prince because they loved the prince.”

Angie Marchese, director of archives at Graceland, said the exhibition will “tell the story of a music revolution”. She added: “These artefacts represent the most intimate picture ever seen in public of Elvis’s journey from teen idol to movie star to rock icon. “They are at the core of his work and his life and are the symbols of a social phenomenon that is recognised across the generations like no other.”

Elvis At The O2 runs from December 12 to August 31. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday. For tickets go to elvisattheo2.com

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