Priscilla Presley, the widow of Elvis, at the funeral of her daughter Lisa, who died on January 12. NIKKI BOERTMAN / REUTERS
The singer had named her mother Priscilla as one of the administrators of her estate, before opting for her children in 2016.
Priscilla Presley, the widow of Elvis Presley, is contesting the will of her daughter Lisa, who died in mid-January and did not include her mother in her estate, according to court documents.
Lisa Marie Presley died suddenly in Los Angeles on January 12 of cardiac arrest at the age of 54. The singer had named her mother Priscilla as one of the administrators of her large estate in 2010, both during her lifetime and in the event of her death, according to court documents. But she seems to have withdrawn this quality from him in 2016, to designate his children Riley and Benjamin Keough as heirs after his death.
TO HAVE ALSO – Elvis Presley’s only daughter, Lisa Marie, is dead
According to a document consulted by AFP and filed last week by her lawyer, Priscilla Presley has “discovered” these changes only after the recent death of her daughter. The widow claims the invalidation of this new will, because it was never presented to her during the lifetime of her daughter. His lawyer points out in particular that the signature of Lisa Marie “seems inconsistent” compared to his usual signature.
A possible legal battle over this legacy would involve high stakes. Because Lisa Marie was Elvis’ only daughter. She previously controlled Elvis Presley Enterprises, but sold most of her stake to a private equity firm in 2005. She mostly retained control of Graceland, the property her father owned in Memphis, Tennessee, and where he was found unconscious before his death in August 1977. This mansion has become an important place of pilgrimage for fans of the rock ‘n’ roll legend.
His son Benjamin Keough, cited as a potential heir, committed suicide in 2020. His eldest daughter, Riley Keough, is a 33-year-old actress who starred in the blockbuster Mad Max: Fury Road and more recently in independent film Zola. Lisa Marie also had twin daughters, Harper and Finley. The two teenagers are to inherit Graceland jointly with Riley, a representative for the property told People magazine.
On Tuesday, NBC News quoted an anonymous email from Lisa Marie’s entourage denouncing her mother’s legal action. According to this email, the widow of Elvis did not maintain “no relation” with his daughter in the period preceding his death. Asked by AFP, representatives of Priscilla Presley did not immediately respond.