Elvis Presley’s ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, will be buried at Graceland when she eventually passes away, but not next to Elvis, as she previously requested.
PEOPLE reported that Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough, the late Lisa Marie Presley’s mother and daughter, reached an agreement concerning Lisa Marie’s trust on May 16.
“They have reached a settlement. Families are happy,” said Ronson Shamoun, Priscilla’s lawyer. “Everyone is happy. Unified and together and excited for the future.”
Riley’s lawyer, Justin Gold, added, “[Riley] would not have agreed to the settlement if she was not happy with it.“
Priscilla Challenges Lisa Marie’s Will
Following Lisa Marie’s unexpected death on January 12, Priscilla filed legal documents challenging a 2016 amendment to the will that removed her as a trustee. Initially, Priscilla and Lisa Marie’s former business manager, Barry Siegel, were named co-trustees in 2010. However, the amendment appointed Riley and Lisa Marie’s late son, Benjamin Keough, as co-trustees. Unfortunately, Benjamin tragically passed away in 2020.
Per PEOPLE, Graceland, the 13-acre grounds, and Elvis’s personal effects now belong to Riley and Lisa Marie’s 14-year-old twin daughters Harper and Finley.
View this post on Instagram
Since the younger girls are under 18, their father, Lisa Marie Presley’s ex-husband Michael Lockwood, would assume responsibility of their trusts. Fans speculated this was the reason Priscilla contested the will, because the family has had their fair share of drama with Lockwood.
As per the alleged amendment, Riley was designated as the sole trustee following Benjamin’s passing. However, Priscilla’s legal filing requested the court to assess the validity of the 2016 amendment. She contends that the document seemed inconsistent with Lisa Marie’s typical signature and raised suspicions for various reasons: it lacked notarization, misspelled Priscilla’s name, and was never delivered to her, contrary to the stipulations of the 2010 arrangement. Priscilla aimed to reinstate the 2010 trust, appointing herself and Barry as co-trustees. She believed that Barry had either already resigned or would soon resign from his role as a co-trustee.
Settlement Bombshell
During the legal dispute surrounding Lisa Marie’s trust, Priscilla made a significant request—to be laid to rest next to Elvis. Despite their status as each other’s great love, they divorced four years prior to his passing, and he was involved in several serious relationships, including an engagement, at the time of his death. However, an additional complication is the fact that Elvis is currently buried between his grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley, and his father, Vernon Presley.
On this day in 1977, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley died aged 42. Elvis was originally buried in Forest Hills Cemetery, Memphis, but after a scare with grave tampering, he and his mother were disinterred and reburied in the Meditation Garden at Graceland. pic.twitter.com/mEepWq62Vr
— Burials & Beyond (@BurialsBeyond) August 16, 2021
Also buried at Graceland are his mother, Gladys Presley, Lisa Marie and Benjamin Keough.
We revisited Graceland last summer and were saddened to see Benjamin Keough’s grave. We could never have imagined that Lisa Marie Presley would be joining her father and son there so soon. Our thoughts are with the family, especially the young children who have lost a mother.😔🎶 pic.twitter.com/aGLCrctzWf
— P&K USA (@PKDinerUSA) January 14, 2023
Priscilla was denied this request and she “backed down without much discussion.”
Riley Files Paperwork
On Tuesday (June 13), Keough filed paperwork to become the sole trustee of Lisa Marie’s trust, and will give an undisclosed payout to her grandmother.
RELATED: Riley Keough Will Be Sole Trustee Of Mother Lisa Marie Presley’s Estate
Keough’s lawyer said, “In settling the claims pending in Priscilla’s petition, the parties are saving significant legal fees by avoiding litigation and they are likewise avoiding the spectacle of intra-family litigation that would have been inimical to Lisa’s wishes and not in the best interests of the family.”
Additionally, Priscilla has been granted her request to be buried at Graceland, although not next to Elvis.
A previous report from PEOPLE states that August 4 will be the next hearing. Stay tuned!