LONDON (AFP) ― Iconic jumpsuits and a pink Cadillac belonging to Elvis Presley are among 300 artefacts on show at Europe’s largest ever exhibition honoring the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, which opened in London on Friday.
Many of the items on show at the O2 Arena have never previously left Presley’s Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee and include elaborate costumes, instruments and jewelry displayed in recreated interiors from his fabled home.
Star attractions include the pink Cadillac that Elvis used on tour, before giving it to his mother, and the American Eagle embroidered jumpsuit that he wore at the epic 1972 Aloha from Hawaii concert, which was beamed live to over a billion fans around the world.
Other items of clothing include the gold lam jumpsuit worn onstage in 1957 and the black leather outfit worn for the Comeback Special in 1968.
“This is huge for us,” explained Elvis’ former wife Priscilla, who is still actively involved in the running of Graceland.
“We’ve tried to pick things that would of course have human interest,” she told the Guardian.
Also on show will be a set of bongos given to him as a Christmas present by a young Priscilla before they were a couple.
“I was so nervous about it because I was only 14 years old and what do I give Elvis Presley for Christmas?” she recalled.
Visitors will see the pool table that Presley and The Beatles played on when the Fab Four dropped in for a visit in 1965.
“I remember John (Lennon) just staring at him and looking at him and it made Elvis feel uncomfortable,” Presley told the Guardian.
“Then Elvis picked up his guitar and started playing ― they were just fascinated with him. It was endearing.”
Both Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie will be in Britain over Christmas.
Lisa Marie moved to a mansion south of London in 2013 and Priscilla is starring in a pantomime in Manchester, northern England.
