In a poignant reflection, Linda Thompson, Elvis Presley’s longtime girlfriend, recently shared intimate details about the last time she saw the King of Rock and Roll alive, shedding light on the complex and deeply emotional nature of their relationship.
Thompson, a Grammy-nominated lyricist, reposted a TikTok video on Instagram where she recounted Elvis’s last words to her during a 1976 trip to San Francisco, where Presley was performing at the Cow Palace. “The last time I saw Elvis alive, he was playing the Cow Palace,” she began, recalling a conversation that encapsulated both affection and deception.
During the trip, Elvis surprised Thompson by offering to fly her back to Memphis on his private plane. Skeptical, she teased, “Really? You brought the plane in just for me? Are you sure you didn’t bring in another girl from Memphis?” Presley insisted, “No honey. You know I wouldn’t do that.” Looking into his “gorgeous blue eyes,” Thompson said, “he was so sincere and just lying through his teeth.”
This revelation marked a turning point. Shortly thereafter, Thompson chose to leave her life with Presley at Graceland behind. She acknowledged that Elvis was likely “shocked and hurt” by her decision, but believes he ultimately understood her departure.
In the Instagram caption accompanying the video, Thompson shared more context: “Elvis finished by saying, ‘And no matter what you may hear or read, I love you and I don’t love anybody else.’ He even had tears in his eyes as he professed that love.” However, she also revealed the truth behind the scenes—“there was, however, another girl in a holding pattern on the floor below in our hotel, waiting to get the OK to come up.” She acknowledged that Elvis was not monogamous in his relationships.
Shortly after Thompson left Graceland for good, Elvis began dating Ginger Alden, whom he would become engaged to in January 1977 after just two months of dating.
Linda Thompson’s heartfelt recollection offers a rare and humanizing glimpse into Elvis Presley’s final days, revealing the tangled emotions and complicated loyalties that shaped the King’s personal life, even as his legendary career neared its end.
