Robert Kardashian Sr. allegedly wanted to get married to Priscilla Presley when they were together during the 1970s, according to Page Six. In the outlet’s November 9 report, the late attorney — who died from esophageal cancer in 2003 — intended to start a family with Priscilla, 78, at the time but felt he couldn’t because of her ex-husband, Elvis Presley.
“Priscilla made Robert very happy. He wanted to marry her and have children with her. That was definitely his hope, his plan,” Robert’s friend Joni Migdal told author Jerry Oppenheimer for his 2017 book, The Kardashians: An American Drama.
Another friend of the late businessman claimed that Robert told him that Priscilla was “terrific, but this guy Elvis doesn’t stop controlling her.” The outlet added that Robert told others close to him that Elvis didn’t want Priscilla to date other men “because they had Lisa Marie, and Elvis was very involved in that.”
Priscilla and Elvis were married from 1967 to 1973. They welcomed their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in 1968. Lisa died in 2023 at the age of 54 after suffering from cardiac arrest that resulted from bariatric surgery.
After Priscilla and Elvis divorced, the co-parents maintained a close friendship, and both went on to date other people. Priscilla started dating Robert in 1975, and the two ultimately split the following year.
Robert’s brother, Tom Kardashian, alleged to book author Jerry that Priscilla was trying to change Robert when they were together.
“Priscilla really changed a lot of my brother’s thinking of how he should dress, how he should even drive, and what he should do — and she changed him easily because she was so attractive and so she had an influence on him,” Tom claimed.
However, Joni contradicted this claim by alleging that Robert was the one who was trying to control the Elvis & Me author and turn her “into a domesticated Armenian housewife, and that infuriated Priscilla.” Joni also claimed that there was one incident between Robert and Priscilla that may have brought some clarity in their romance.
“Priscilla once tried to make dinner for Robert because he kept asking her, so Priscilla said that one night she cooked asparagus, and she made this and she made that, and she went out of her way to make it perfect, and he HATED it,” Joni alleged. “She said that after that meal, he never suggested that she make dinner for him again.”
Joni then concluded by claiming that Priscilla told Robert, “Look, I’m not going to marry anyone until Elvis dies.”
Priscilla has not publicly addressed the claims about her and Robert’s past relationship.