Petula Clark Says She Turned Down a Threesome with Elvis Presley

An unexpected encounter in Las Vegas, a legendary friendship with Karen Carpenter, and the bold choice Petula Clark made when Elvis Presley extended an invitation neither woman expected.

A Legend in Her Own Right

Petula Clark, the British singer best known for her timeless hit “Downtown,” has led one of the most enduring and controversy-free careers in entertainment. From working alongside Dean Martin and Fred Astaire to brushing shoulders with rock-and-roll royalty, Clark has remained a respected, graceful presence in the industry for over seven decades.

But not all of her stories are squeaky-clean. In a rare revelation, Petula Clark once recalled the night she and her dear friend Karen Carpenter were propositioned by Elvis Presley—in the form of a bold, suggestive invitation neither of them was prepared for.

The Night Elvis Made His Move

It was during a trip to Las Vegas in the late 1960s. Petula and Karen had attended an Elvis performance, and at the end of the show, were personally invited to his dressing room. As Petula told it, Elvis was in his physical prime and made no attempt to hide his interest in the two women.

According to Clark, Elvis’s intentions quickly became clear: he wanted both women—at once. “He wasted no time,” she said. “He made it pretty clear what he had in mind.” Karen, still early in her career and quite innocent by nature, seemed less disturbed by the invitation. It was Petula who had to put her foot down, ushering both of them out of the room before things went too far.

“I got us out of there,” Clark later said in interviews, recalling the moment as surreal and even humorous in hindsight. “Karen might not have understood what he was suggesting, but I did.”

A Look That Said It All

As they exited, Petula noticed a look in Elvis’s eyes—a look she interpreted as both frustrated and intrigued. “He looked at me like, ‘I’ll get to you one day,’” she quipped. It would be the last time anything remotely intimate passed between them.

Years later, she would hear that Elvis had

Her Protective Role Over Karen Carpenter

Perhaps most touching in this story is Clark’s protectiveness over Karen Carpenter. The two were close friends, having first met during a film premiere of Goodbye, Mr. Chips, in which Clark starred and Carpenter sang the theme song. That night, Petula helped get Karen’s band noticed by Herb Alpert—leading to their record deal with A&M and launching The Carpenters’ career.

But fame came at a steep price for Karen, whose struggles with anorexia ultimately led to her early death in 1983. Reflecting on the Las Vegas incident, Clark said she felt a responsibility to protect Karen—not just that night, but in general. “Karen was too innocent for that world. I tried to look out for her.”

A Woman of Integrity and Boundaries

The story is more than just a juicy anecdote. It’s a glimpse into Petula Clark’s inner strength and moral clarity, even in the face of music royalty like Elvis. In an industry where women were often expected to submit to power, Clark made her boundaries known—and respected.

Today, as she reflects on a career filled with both light and shadow, Petula Clark stands as a quiet feminist icon, someone who said “no” when it mattered, even to the King of Rock and Roll.

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