Elvis Presley fans gathered during Elvis Week 2023 at his beloved Graceland home to share stories and memorialize the king of rock and roll on the 46th anniversary of his death. A keynote speaker at the event was Linda Thompson, Elvis’ girlfriend of four years. She shared intimate memories of life at the historic Memphis, TN abode, sharing some key moments of her experience on social media.
Linda Thompson shared intimate Graceland memories during Elvis Presley week
Linda Thompson attended her first Elvis Week at Graceland in August 2023. She spent the better part of one week in a myriad of activities tied to the king of rock and roll.
She shared photos and videos of some highlights of her week on Instagram. In one clip, Linda discussed the Maltese Cross she gifted Elvis, which included diamonds and their shared birthstones.
“I gave him the Maltese Cross, which he always wore in his shows. It was during our second Christmas together,” she explained.
She shared photos and videos of some highlights of her week on Instagram. In one clip, Linda discussed the Maltese Cross she gifted Elvis, which included diamonds and their shared birthstones.
“I gave him the Maltese Cross, which he always wore in his shows. It was during our second Christmas together,” she explained.
“Not knowing that Elvis never did anything for himself, he would never indulge himself as much as he indulged others, I went to Lowell Hayes and told them I had this design for a beautiful Maltese Cross,” Linda said.
She continued, “I went back to Graceland and said, ‘Honey, I want to buy you a nice Christmas present. But that means you’ll pay for it.”
“He said, ‘Okay, how much are we talking about?’” and I said, “$25K. He said, ‘$25K?’ and I responded, ‘Yes, now doesn’t the real price of $8K sound better?” she joked.
“I got him the cross, and he absolutely adored it. He wore it to every show,” she concluded.
Linda Thompson recreated some iconic Graceland photos for Instagram
As part of the selection of photographs Linda Thompson shared with the social media site, she recreated some favorite photos taken at Graceland mansion. Linda posted past and current images side by side for comparison.
In one snap, Linda stood in Graceland’s kitchen in the early 1970s wearing bell-bottom jeans and holding a rolling pin. In a current photo, she mimicked the first image.
A second photograph showed Linda lying in the jungle room wearing a white two-piece outfit in an oversized chair. She recreated that photograph as well.
Within the images, Linda posed in the archway between the music room and Graceland’s living room, right next to the peacock-stained glass windows she helped design. She also stood on the stairs leading to the king of rock and roll’s private upstairs quarters.
Linda posed in the TV room, flanked by its dramatic yellow, white, and black decor, and stood in a separate image before Elvis’ many jumpsuits. The king of rock and roll wore those costumes onstage during the early 1970s and into his later years.
She also shared images of visiting Elvis’ grave. Linda also participated in Graceland’s annual candlelight vigil.
How long did Elvis Presley and Linda Thompson date?
Linda Thompson first met Elvis Presley when she was just 22. They first met in July at a movie theater Elvis rented out late in the evening to watch a film.
“It was 6 July, and Memphis was sweltering, but Elvis wore a black suede cape with red satin lining and black flared trousers with red inserts. I said, ‘You’re dressed a little like Dracula, aren’t you?’ which made him laugh,” Linda recalled in her book A Little Thing Called Life.
Elvis sat beside her and said, ‘Where have you been all my life? I’ve been looking for a girl like you forever.”
Linda wrote Elvis did the “yawn thing and put his arm around my shoulders. I was a little bit standoffish because he was married.”
Linda Thompson concluded that once she found out Elvis Presley was in the middle of divorcing his first wife, Priscilla Presley, she felt more relaxed with the prospect of dating the king of rock and roll. Subsequently, Elvis and Linda were in a relationship for four years, from 1972 through 1976.
