The world was shocked last month at the death of Lisa Marie Presley. At the age of 55, the daughter of Elvis Presley died of cardiac arrest. And while friends and fans have been in mourning, it looks like the family is gearing up for a legal battle as Lisa Marie’s mother Priscilla Presley has filed paperwork to contest the singer’s will. And while this could certainly cause a rift in the family, Priscilla says her goal is to keep the family together.
Last week Priscilla Presley filed legal documents to contest the authenticity and validity of the last will of Lisa Marie Presley. Yesterday, on what would have been her daughter’s 55th birthday, Pricilla issued a statement (via Page Six) which, without making direct reference to the will, focuses on how she cares for family and thanks those that have shown support. It reads…
Today would have been Lisa’s 55th birthday. My wish is to protect my three grandchildren and keep our family together. From the first moment I held Lisa in my arms, I’ve protected, loved and guided her, as I have my son. Our hearts are broken, and I am having to learn to live without my only daughter. We truly love all of you, and we feel your prayers. Thank you so much for caring so deeply for our family.
According to the court filing, in 1993, Priscilla Presley and her business manager Barry Siegel were named co-trustees of Lisa Marie Presley’s estate. An amendment was then made in 2010 that kept both Priscilla and Siegel in those roles. However, a document surfaced after Lisa Marie’s death that shows that in 2016 they were removed as trustees and her children Riley and Benjamin Keough were named as the new trustees. Benjamin committed suicide in 2020, which would leave Riley as the lone trustee. Presley has two other children, 14-year-old twins Finley and Harper.
Priscilla Presley claims that the document was never notarized, nor was it ever delivered to her, which was part of the 2010 trust agreement. What’s more, Lisa Marie’s mother questions the validity of the signature, which she says is inconsistent with her daughter's signature and even spells her daughter’s name wrong.
The court documents also claim that Barry Siegel is planning to resign as trustee, which would leave Priscilla and Riley as co-trustees if Presley’s legal challenge is successful. Siegel was previously Lisa Marie’s business manager as well. In 2018 she sued him for mismanagement of her inheritance from her father Elvis Presley.
The Presley name will remain front and center even outside of whatever happens with this case. One of Lisa Marie's final public appearances before her death was attending the Golden Globes where Austin Butler won the award for portraying her father in Elvis. Butler is also considered a contender for the Academy Award.
