Presleys battle for Graceland's $1bn as rumours fly over Lisa Marie's will
As mourners gathered in the shadow of Graceland under the warmth of the Memphis sun, Elvis Presley ’s family appeared united as they laid to rest his only child.
Lisa Marie’s relatives watched on together at the public memorial service before her casket was placed feet away from her late father.
But it soon emerged a family war had broken out over Elvis’ $1billion Graceland empire.
Four days after the memorial on January 22, Lisa Marie’s mum Priscilla filed a petition in court questioning the “authenticity” of a bombshell change to a document.
The amendment to Lisa Marie’s living trust – which can serve as a will after death – has seemingly cut Priscilla out of any claim to Elvis’ estate.
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Lisa Marie Presley and Michael Lockwood (AFP via Getty Images)Priscilla said she had only just found out about the change made in 2016. It removed her and Lisa Marie’s ex-business manager as co-trustees and gave control of the trust to Lisa Marie’s eldest children Benjamin Keough, who died by suicide at 27 in 2020, and Riley Keough.
A source says Riley, 33, and gran Priscilla, 77, “do not see eye to eye”. Priscilla has suggested her daughter’s signature may have been forged on the document.
This row is seemingly not the only thing that has sparked family conflict since Lisa Marie’s death.
Sources say there was one man’s attendance at the memorial service that left some relatives all shook up.
Lisa Marie with her children Riley, Finley and Harper (Startraks/REX/Shutterstock)Namely, Michael Lockwood – who Lisa Marie divorced in one of Hollywood’s most toxic splits.
It is alleged Priscilla allowed Michael, 61, to attend the memorial to help look after the children he shared with Lisa Marie – 14-year-old twins Finley and Harper.
A friend of Lisa Marie’s told People magazine in the US: “Michael was not invited. He came to Memphis under the pretence he had to chaperone the twins.
“The last thing Lisa Marie would have wanted was for Michael to be there.”
Elvis Presley in the grounds of his beloved home Graceland (Michael Ochs Archives)A second source backed up the claims, telling the Mirror that Priscilla’s loyalty to Michael meant Lisa Marie barely spoke to her mum for years.
In the weeks before her death of a cardiac arrest on January 12 aged 54, Lisa Marie had seemed close to Priscilla at events to celebrate the biopic Elvis.
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But according to a source, their relationship had been fractured since Lisa Marie’s split from Michael in 2016.
“I can assure you, in the last seven years of Lisa’s life, she never discussed with Priscilla any business,” her friend added. “She wanted each of her four children to have 5% of the estate.
“Priscilla doesn’t want Riley solely in charge because then she has no say. It’s a very sad situation.”
Elvis and wife Priscilla with newborn Lisa Marie (Michael Ochs Archives)After Lisa Marie and Michael split, there was a nasty custody battle over the twins that went on until last year.
Friends say Lisa Marie resented that Priscilla often appeared to side with Michael, and that the tension trickled down to her eldest daughter. “Riley was always on her mom’s side when it came to Michael,” added the source.
“It bothered her that her grandmother and Michael flew to the funeral together.”
The friend added: “Lisa didn’t want to have anything to do with her mom.
“She was basically estranged from Priscilla for the last seven to eight years. They only talked when there was no option.”
Viewers are likely to be looking for Riley and Priscilla at the Oscars on Sunday, where the Elvis movie is up for eight awards.
Insiders say Lisa Marie was never able to accept her mother’s closeness to Michael. Finley and Harper were temporarily taken into care in 2017 after their mum claimed in court documents she found indecent videos of children on their dad’s computer.
The opulent Graceland could now be at the centre of a court battle (CREDIT : Jo Aspill)According to papers filed in Los Angeles, she also accused Michael of spending more than £800,000 of her money without her consent.
Both the allegations were investigated and no charges were brought.
Michael’s lawyer said Lisa Marie’s claims were “inaccurate”.
Priscilla and rock’n’roll legend Elvis divorced in 1973. He died in 1977 at 42 and gave Graceland to his only child.
The estate was left to Lisa Marie in trust because she was only nine. On her 25th birthday in 1993, she was handed full ownership of the home and access to the $100million fortune.
She then formed a trust to manage the property, with Priscilla as one of the trustees. Priscilla has filed a petition in Los Angeles saying she knew nothing about being removed as a trustee in March 2016 – three months before Lisa Marie split from Michael.
The trust includes the Graceland mansion and a 15% stake in Elvis Presley Enterprises, which together reportedly raked in £93m last year.
A legal expert says the court is likely to back Priscilla’s claim.
Priscilla alleged the 2016 amendment was never delivered to her while Lisa Marie was alive, as required in the original trust.
In her petition, she noted the date of the document misspelt her name, that Lisa Marie’s signature looked inconsistent with her usual sign-off, and it was neither witnessed nor notarised.
Cynthia Brittain, a lawyer at Karlin & Peebles, said: “They’re very good points. If everything is as they portrayed, the case law is pretty clear.”
Priscilla and Riley will be co-trustees if the amendment is voided by the court. If not, Riley is in sole charge.
In 2013 Lisa Marie insisted her kids would get Graceland when she died, saying: “When it is no longer mine, it will be my children’s. And that is that.”
But Priscilla’s suspicious mind could possibly still have a say long after Elvis left the building.
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