Elvis Presley: Fans gather at Graceland for funeral in 1977
Elvis died at on August 16, 1977, in the early afternoon. He had been found on the floor at home and rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3.30pm.
His body was brought home and the funeral took place on August 18 at 2pm, UP to 80,000 people had flocked to the house and funeral route, but only 200 were there for the small private ceremony.
They included Elvis’ father and grandmother, Vernon and Minnie Mae Presley, other family members and the Memphis Mafia.
Five of The King’s previous partners were in attendance: ex-wife Priscilla, fiancée Ginger Alden, Linda Thompson, Viva Las Vegas co-star Ann Margret and backing singer Kathy Westmoreland.
Daughter Lisa Marie was just nine years old and had some special; private final moments with her father before the funeral.
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Elvis’ body had lain in an open casket downstairs at Graceland throughout the previous day, August 17.
Vernon had asked the star’s hairdresser and spiritual adviser, Larry Geller, to cut and style his hair. The sideburns were re-dyed and make-up applied.
Vernon had overruled everyone and insisted on a public viewing so that the tens of thousands of mourning fans gathered outside had their chance to say goodbye – and he wanted his son to look his best.
Estimates said the crowd outside stretched up to a mile back. It was 90 degrees and some fainted from the heat and emotion.
At 3pm, the door were opened and it’s estimated that up to 30,000 filed past before it was necessary to close up the house because the heat was starting to affect The King’s body.
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What nobody knew as they paid their final respects was that there was a secret gift hidden from sight in the coffin.
Before the public was allowed in, funeral Director Robert Kendall later recounted that Lisa had approached the coffin but never raised her eyes to look inside.
Apparently, she had said: “Mister Kendall, can I give this to my daddy?” She held out her hand and showed a thin metal bangle, a bracelet.
There was a problem that Kendall (and Priscilla) immediately spotted but although they tried to dissuade her but Lisa Marie was determined.
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Kendall relented but he knew how upsetting it would be for Lisa Marie to place the bracelet on her father herself. So he walked the young girl to the coffin and asked her where she would like the bracelet to go.
She pointed to her own right wrist. Kendall lifted up Elvis’ right arm and slipped the piece of jewellery on. He later said she also asked him if it would stay in place forever, and he replied that it would.
As Lisa Marie left the room, Priscilla turned back to Kendall with one last instruction.
Elvis Presley: Hearse carrying singer arrives for funeral in 1977
Priscilla Presley asked that the bracelet should be concealed beneath Elvis’s shirt sleeve. A precaution, in case any fan suddenly tried to take a last memento.
Indeed, one distant family member actually managed to sneak a secret photo of the King in his casket which was sold to the National Enquirer, but nobody ever realised there was a hidden bracelet on his wrist.
Yet more extraordinary scenes unfurled before the funeral when an out-of-control car smashed into the gates of the mansion, killing two female fans and critically injuring another.
After the ceremony, 80,000 people lined the route to Forest Hill Cemetery, where Elvis was laid to rest in the huge family mausoleum next to his mother.
Two weeks later on August 29, there was an easily (some say suspiciously) foiled attempt to dig up the body which gave Elvis’ family grounds to demand his coffin be moved to Graceland for security.
Permission was given on September 28 and Elvis’ body was moved permanently to Graceland on October 3.
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