Elvis Presley’s ex Linda Thompson: ‘King was attracted to my purity’ | Music | Entertainment
Linda Thompson was the one major girlfriend Elvis Presley had after he split up with Priscilla Presley. The couple were together for a total of four years before things got too much for Linda. She ended the relationship in 1976 when she learned there was another woman on the scene – Ginger Alden. Eight months after splitting with the King, he died in his home, Graceland, aged 42. But looking back on how her relationship began, she had nothing but good things to say about the legendary singer.
Linda was just 22-years-old when she met Elvis, who was 15 years older than her at 37.
The life-changing moment came in July 1972 when she was invited to a private film screening. “He came into the cinema very grumpy,” she said in a recent interview. “Then shone a light round and rested it on my face. ‘Well, hello,’ he purred. He sat next to me and nuzzled into my neck. I pulled away as I thought he was married still.”
Elvis assured Linda that Priscilla was out of the picture: “Honey, we split up six months ago, I’m single.”
What followed was a night of passion as their surroundings melted away. “I can’t recall the film we saw,” Linda said. “As we spent the night kissing and cuddling. And it was every bit as sexy as you’d expect.”
Linda couldn’t get enough of the King. She described herself as being “obsessed” with him, despite the fact he was slowly letting himself go with excess food and prescription drugs.
For Linda’s third date with Elvis, she was flown to Las Vegas to see him perform. Within the year, she had moved in with him.
Linda mused that her virginity was the main attraction Elvis had to her. “I think my purity attracted him,” she said. “I was his alone. I did not drink, swear, do drugs. He didn’t pressure me to have sex with him.”
However, before long, they couldn’t stand it anymore and decided to take the next step.
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Linda had particularly fond memories of his 1973 TV special, Aloha From Hawaii.
The TV feature was one of the first of its kind, and Elvis performed via satellite to a reported 1.5 billion people around the world.
To prepare for the show, Linda said Elvis trained and dieted to get the perfect look.
“He looked like a 6 foot 1 inch Greek god. He’d say: ‘I’m one good-looking SOB [son of a b****],’ then burst out laughing.”
Unfortunately for the loved-up couple, their relationship did not last.
After splitting up around Christmas in 1976, Elvis moved on very quickly with his new girlfriend, Ginger.
He then proposed to Ginger soon thereafter on January 26, 1977. However, their engagement was extremely short-lived.
On August 16, 1977, Ginger found Elvis dead in his bathroom in Graceland.
