3rd March 1960

Elvis visits Scotland

The Aberdeen Evening Express found space on its front page of 2 March 1960 to report that Elvis Presley, then 25 and a sergeant in the United States Army, would be flying through Prestwick Airport that night on his way back home from Germany. Whether the singer’s plans changed or the dates got mixed up, it’s generally accepted that The King’s only visit to Scotland occurred on 3 March, when his plane was refuelling. At the time, Prestwick Airport was still an American air base – and it would remain as such for another six years.

Naturally, as his impending arrival had been announced in the papers, there were plenty of fans in attendance, and Elvis called out to ask them where he was when he appeared at the aircraft’s open door. He spent the time it took to ready the plane for the next leg of its flight signing autographs.

Ninety minutes later, he was gone, and he never returned to Britain before his death aged 42. Graceland Bar was later opened at the airport to commemorate the event.