Priscilla Presley 'locked out' of Elvis' estate by granddaughter Riley Keough for contesting Lisa Marie's $35M will
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Priscilla Presley, the ex-wife of the late King of Rock n' Roll Elvis Presley, has allegedly been "locked out" of his Graceland estate by her granddaughter Riley Keough. The move came shortly after she contested an amendment to her late daughter Lisa Marie Presley's will.
Over the past couple of months, representatives for both Priscilla and Riley have been exchanging terms back and forth. While it is unclear how much money Lisa Marie left behind, it is said the deceased daughter of Elvis had apparently spent all the money from her $100 million inheritance. News of the strained relationship between Riley and Priscilla emerged just weeks after the latter advised fans to “ignore the noise” over the media’s coverage of the dispute.
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'She's furious!'
Insiders told Globe Magazine that Priscilla has been barred from the family's estate for the time being after Riley paid a visit to the Memphis property to "change the locks on the upstairs doors and archives." The source explained, "Previously, Graceland archives director Angie Marchese, Priscilla, and Lisa Marie had the only keys. So, Priscilla is now locked out — and she's furious!" The family rift appeared to intensify after the memorial for Elvis' only child Lisa Marie, when lawyers for Priscilla filed a petition questioning the "authenticity and validity" of a 2016 amendment to her living trust, which reportedly included the Graceland mansion and a 15% stake in Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE).
That amendment is said to have removed Priscilla and Lisa Marie's former business manager Barry Siegel as co-trustees and handed over the rights to Riley and her brother Benjamin -- Lisa Marie's children with Danny Keough. However, Benjamin died by suicide in 2020. “Now, with the passing of Ben and Lisa Marie, Riley has sole control – if the paper holds up in court. Furious Priscilla is challenging the declaration’s legitimacy, claiming Lisa Marie’s scrawl on the 2016 amendment appears inconsistent with her daughter’s usual and customary signature,” the source added.
Legal quagmire
Priscilla contested the 2016 declaration's authenticity, arguing that Lisa Marie's scrawl on the document "appears inconsistent with her daughter's usual and customary signature." She also pointed out that Lisa Marie's name is misspelled and that the document was never notarized or delivered to her as required by law. In a conversation with Entertainment Tonight, lawyer Mitra Ahouraian said it appeared that the "primary reason why Priscilla would want to maintain control of this trust is really to protect the interests of the children." Speaking of Lisa Marie's other children with her fourth husband, Michael Lockwood, Ahouraian said there are also the 14-year-old twins to consider. "There is a $35 million life insurance policy that would be to the benefit of the children, and that's a lot of money that can easily go away very quickly if it's not being managed properly," the lawyer noted.
'Riley and Priscilla are not talking'
Elvis' estate is now in the hands of Lisa Marie's three daughters, reps confirmed to Radar Online. Earlier reports suggest both Priscilla and her granddaughter are upset over the matter for different reasons. Sources told Page Six that the duo has not been communicating since the actress feels she is "seeing a new side of her grandmother" and is "not looking for a war." An insider said, “Riley and Priscilla are not talking. Their relationship is changing, that is true...it’s just so sad. This is the time Riley would really need her grandmother.”