Weeks after the death of Lisa Marie Presley, a contentious battle has emerged over the singer’s will. Lisa Marie, the only child of Elvis Presley, died on January 12 at the age of 54, leaving behind her Trust, which includes Elvis’ Graceland property as well as 15 percent ownership of Elvis’ estate. The Trust has now been passed on to her daughters, per Lisa Marie’s request.
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Now, it looks like attorneys for Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla Presley, have filed a petition in Los Angeles to question the “authenticity and validity” of the late singer’s will, claiming that a 2016 amendment that put the Trust in hands of her 33-year-old daughter, Riley Keough, and twins Finley and Harper Lockwood, 14, is invalid.
“Lisa’s intent was very clear,” a friend close to the late star told PEOPLE. “Lisa really didn’t feel that Priscilla was doing anything in her best interest.” According to the petition obtained by People, Lisa Marie wrote a living will back in 1993 and amended it in 2010 making Priscilla, 77, a Co-Trustee alongside her former business manager, Barry Siegel.
Priscilla Presley Contesting Validity of Lisa Marie Presley’s Will
But, after Lisa Marie’s death, Priscilla found an amendment that had been added back in 2016 which removed her and Siegel and replace them with Riley, her brother Benjamin Kough, who died by suicide back in 2020, and her twin sisters. A representative for Riley has yet to comment on the issue.
The petition goes on to allege, “many issues surrounding the authenticity and validity” of the said amendments which includes the fact that it wasn’t given to Priscilla while Lisa Marie was alive and “as required by the express terms of the Trust,” that the late singer’s signature was “inconsistent” with her usual signage. As well as the fact that there was no witness or notarization.
Priscilla claims that the 2010 amendment is still “the authoritative and controlling document,” and is requesting the court order the 2016 amendment invalid. She is attempting to regain control, which directly contradicts Lisa Marie’s wishes, noting that when the 2016 amendment was made, she didn’t have a relationship with her daughter.
“Lisa lived her life authentically… She wouldn’t remain quiet when she was being taken advantage of,” a source told people. “At the end of the day, these are her wishes, and there’s no question as to what her wishes were. No one’s going to be able to reinvent the last seven or eight years and say no, no, no.”