AT 84, ANN-MARGRET FINALLY OPENS UP ABOUT THE LOVE SHE NEVER FORGOT: ELVIS PRESLEY
Hollywood has always been a place of legendary love stories that consume endless ink in the press, but few romances were as passionate, enduring, and deeply respectful throughout a lifetime as the one shared between the “Sex Symbol” Ann-Margret and the “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” Elvis Presley. Recently, at the age of 84, the legendary actress finally opened her heart, sharing intimate details about the man she admits is the “love she could never forget.”
Love at First Sight on the Set of ‘Viva Las Vegas’
In the summer of 1963, MGM Studios decided to pair two of the hottest names in the industry, Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret, for the musical film Viva Las Vegas. From the very first moment they met on set, an undeniable chemistry ignited between them.
“When we were introduced, the sound that came out wasn’t a greeting, it was an electric current,” Ann-Margret recalled with a nostalgic smile. “We had so much in common: a shared passion for speed, a deep love for music, and a profound, quiet loneliness hidden beneath the glamorous shell of fame.”
Throughout the filming process, the two were absolutely inseparable. They were not just on-screen lovers; they truly stepped into a fiery romance in real life. Ann-Margret described Elvis during that period as a man bursting with energy, warmth, and humor, yet always remaining incredibly chivalrous.
The Fated Separation and a Silent Promise
Despite being deeply in love, their relationship faced insurmountable hurdles from reality. Elvis was already engaged to Priscilla Beaulieu under intense pressure from his notorious manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Meanwhile, Ann-Margret’s career was skyrocketing, and neither of their hectic agendas had any room for a fairy-tale wedding.
After nearly a year of intense devotion, they were forced to make a heartbreaking decision: to walk away.
“We both knew this relationship couldn’t last forever,” the star shared. “Elvis had a promise to keep, and I had my own path to walk. But breaking up didn’t mean we stopped loving each other.”
In 1967, Elvis married Priscilla. That same year, Ann-Margret found a peaceful haven in fellow actor Roger Smith—the man who would stand faithfully by her side for 50 years until his passing in 2017.
Perhaps the most touching part of their story is that the bond between Ann-Margret and Elvis was never completely severed. For years afterward, whenever Ann-Margret performed in Las Vegas, Elvis would always send a massive floral arrangement shaped like a guitar to her dressing room. It was their secret code, a quiet reminder that whispered: I am still watching over you.
“He Took a Part of My Soul With Him”
The sudden and tragic death of Elvis Presley in 1977 at the age of 42 sent shockwaves across the globe, leaving an eternal, unhealed wound in Ann-Margret’s heart. She was one of the very few Hollywood stars—and the only former lover—to fly out to Memphis to attend his funeral.
“When I heard the news of his passing, the world around me completely collapsed,” Ann-Margret said, her voice filled with emotion. “At the funeral, when I saw Elvis’s father, Vernon, we could do nothing but hold each other and weep. He looked at me and said, ‘He missed you so much.’ That sentence has haunted me for the rest of my life.”
Age 84 and Finding Peace in the Memories
For over half a century, Ann-Margret guarded her most private memories of Elvis like a sacred treasure. Even in her 1994 autobiography, she recounted their story with utmost restraint and deep respect, both for the deceased and for her late husband.
Now, at 84, as the glittering lights of Hollywood fade into the background and most of those who lived through it have passed on, Ann-Margret feels a newfound freedom in looking back.
“I was blessed with an incredible husband like Roger, who loved and protected me unconditionally. But Elvis… he was a piece of my youth, a brilliant flame that I never want to extinguish in my mind. At this age, I am no longer afraid or hesitant to say: I loved the ‘King’ with all my heart, and that love has never truly faded.”
The velvet curtain of time may blur many things, but for Ann-Margret, her love for Elvis Presley remains as vivid as those sun-drenched summer days of 1963 in Las Vegas—pure, passionate, and immortal.