By Eve Pearce
Priscilla Presley’s recent stint treading the boards during the UK Pantomime season seems to have proved to be a special time in more ways than one.
The glamorous 67-year old former wife of the late King of Pop Elvis Presley was undertaking a stint as the Wicked Witch in a production of Snow White at the Wimbledon Theatre, South London, when she met British radio DJ and former children’s TV star Toby Anstis. At age 40, Anstis is 27 years Priscilla’s junior, but it hasn’t stopped the two of them getting on like a house on fire, as they were seen sharing a kiss or two when they left a local restaurant close to where Ms. Presley was performing in pantomime.
Mutual Friends
It’s been said that the pair share a number of mutual friends over in America and that one of them suggested they might like to meet up occasionally. Priscilla sent along some tickets so that Toby could go and see her in the show and they met up afterwards, getting on very well and have continued to see each other since.
Related: Sean Penn and Scarlett Johansson: Is the Age Difference an Issue?
According to reports, Toby likes the more mature woman and has always been a big fan of Elvis, so although it’s a seemingly unlikely pairing, they’re obviously off to a good start!
However, whilst some sources claim the pair are dating, Anstis has taken to his Twitter account to play things down. He’s suggested that the pair of them are “just friends”, though he is planning on meeting up with her again and thinks she is “wonderful”. Some press reports are also saying that the snapped photo of them kissing was just a fond farewell between two good pals.
Presley is rumored to be worth a cool $70 million at the current time. She married the King in 1967 when she was just 21-years old and they had a daughter, Lisa Marie together before going on to divorce in 1973. Despite the split, the two remained close until Elvis’ untimely death in 1977.
Mature dating
Whether Priscilla and Toby are dating or not, it’s proof indeed that romance needn’t be dead once you hit middle age and the ever glamorous Presley is flying the flag for women of a certain age everywhere, who may be looking for love. If you’re an older woman looking to date a younger man, here are a few things to consider.
Related: Amber Tamblyn and David Cross Get Married
Age vs Maturity: Just because there’s a distinct age gap, it doesn’t mean that there will be a disparity in levels of maturity too. There are many young men who have mature and responsible heads on their shoulders and conversely many older women who act and appear much younger than they are. If you have the same levels of stamina and the same outlook on life, the age shouldn’t matter.
That certain spark: If you’re someone who has been part of a long term partnership which has broken up, or you’ve maybe been widowed, starting to date again and the process of finding love can perhaps feel like a scary prospect. However, it can sometimes come to pass that after the initial nerves, embarking on an age gap relationship will be something that provides both parties with a new lease of life and a sense of excitement and happiness, for many different reasons. A younger man may want to explore new places and ideas before he settles down. This can provide the single, older woman with a vital spark that she finds contagious, which in turn gives her a new sense of purpose and love of life. Similarly, the life experience and maturity that someone who is older has, can be very appealing and sexy to a younger man or woman.
Expectations: If you’re starting out in such a relationship don’t be afraid to state what you want and make clear what your needs are. If casual without too much commitment is your bag, say so. Likewise if you want companionship and someone to spend lots of time with, be honest and open. Many young men simply don’t want to play the field at all and would like to settle down, whilst others do not want the long term hassle. Be frank from the start so you both know where you stand.
Don’t compete: This is a really important point. Don’t ever try to compete with younger women, just because you have a younger man. If your man is with you, he’s with you for who you are, not because you’re some clone! It’s no good pretending to like propping up bars or saying that you like clubbing the night away when you don’t really. If that’s who you are then that’s cool, but don’t start to do it just to prove you’re youthful. Have fun and show your relaxed side in other ways.