The Shocking Truth Behind Lisa Marie Presley's Will Dispute: Uncovering Hidden Family Secrets

The passing of Lisa Marie Presley has brought about a mix of emotional and legal challenges for her renowned family. The daughter of Elvis Presley passed away at 54 years old on January 12, 2023, following a cardiac arrest. While her estate was inherited by her eldest daughter, Riley Keough, Lisa Marie's mother, Priscilla Presley, contested her daughter's will a few days after her death.

In January 2023, court documents obtained by We revealed that the Dallas alum contested a 2016 amendment made to the will, which removed her and Lisa Marie’s former business manager Barry Siegel as co-trustees and replaced them with Keough and her late brother, Benjamin Keough. The Naked Gun star claimed that her daughter's signature appeared to be forged and that the amendment was not witnessed or notarized. Furthermore, the documents stated that Priscilla should have been informed of the change but was never notified. Since Benjamin's passing in July 2020, Riley has been the sole trustee of her late mother's estate. Lisa Marie had two eldest children with ex-husband Danny Keough and twin daughters Harper and Finley with ex-husband Michael Lockwood.

According to an exclusive source in March 2023, the star of Daisy Jones & The Six, Riley Keough, has been acting as a mediator between Lisa Marie and Priscilla, despite the tension between the two. The insider disclosed that Riley has always tried to bridge the gap between her mother and grandmother, and continues to do so while respecting her mother's wishes, even after her passing. Priscilla, who was married to Elvis from 1967 to 1973, emphasized the importance of honoring both Lisa Marie and Elvis' legacies. She stated in a February 3, 2023, statement to E! News that she and Elvis loved each other deeply, and Lisa is a result of that love. Any disrespect towards their family legacy and what Elvis left behind would be a travesty.

During the memorial service of the “Storm & Grace” singer in early 2023, Priscilla announced the heartbreaking news of her daughter’s death. She delivered an emotional eulogy, which included the words of her granddaughters, Harper and Finley, in honor of their beloved mother. Priscilla tearfully read the eulogy, where she described Lisa Marie Presley as an icon, a role model, and a superhero to many people across the globe. However, to her daughters, Lisa was so much more. She was their personal icon, role model, and superhero in countless ways. Despite her immense love for her daughter, Priscilla confessed that there were still countless things she didn't know about Lisa. As she read the eulogy, she ended with Lisa's own words, "I'll do my best."

During the memorial service held at the family's Graceland estate, Riley's husband, Ben Smith-Petersen, delivered a heartfelt letter on behalf of his wife. He expressed his gratitude for having spent 33 years with his mother and acknowledged that he had always known she was the best mother for him in the world.

Scroll below for a breakdown of the drama surrounding Lisa Marie’s will.

Credit: Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

Everything to Know About Lisa Marie Presley's Will Legal Drama: Custody Battles, Invalid Claims and More

After Lisa Marie Presley's untimely death at the age of 54 due to cardiac arrest, her family has been dealing with both emotional and legal challenges. Despite her eldest daughter Riley Keough inheriting her estate, Lisa Marie's mother Priscilla Presley has contested her daughter's will just days after her passing.

In January 2023, court documents obtained by We revealed that the Dallas alum had contested a 2016 amendment made to the will. The amendment had removed her and Lisa Marie’s former business manager Barry Siegel as co-trustees and replaced them with Keough and her late brother, Benjamin Keough. However, the Naked Gun star claimed that her daughter’s signature appeared to be forged and that the amendment was not witnessed or notarized. The documents also mentioned that Priscilla should have been notified of the change but was not. Since her brother Benjamin's death by suicide in July 2020 at the age of 27, Riley has been the sole trustee of her late mother’s estate. Lisa Marie had two eldest children with ex-husband Danny Keough and twin daughters, Harper and Finley, whom she shared with ex-husband Michael Lockwood.

According to an exclusive source who spoke to Us in March 2023, Riley Keough has frequently acted as a mediator between Lisa Marie Presley and Priscilla Presley, despite the tension between them. The insider stated that Riley has always tried to bridge the gap between her mother and grandmother, even after Lisa Marie's passing, while still respecting her mother's wishes. Although there has been drama surrounding the family, Priscilla emphasizes the importance of honoring both Elvis and Lisa Marie's legacies. As the author of Elvis and Me, Priscilla was married to the King of Rock and Roll from 1967 to 1973 and holds their family legacy in high regard. She stated in a February 3, 2023 statement to E! News that to think anything differently would be disrespectful to what Elvis left behind in his life.

During the memorial service for the late Lisa Marie Presley in early 2023, her mother Priscilla delivered a tearful eulogy. She shared a heartfelt tribute written by Lisa Marie's youngest daughters, Harper and Finley, in honor of their mother. Priscilla struggled to put into words the greatness of Lisa Marie, who was an icon, a role model, and a superhero to many people around the world. However, she emphasized that Lisa Marie was more than just an icon to her daughters - she was their personal icon, role model, and superhero. Despite the difficulty of conveying the depth of Lisa Marie's character, Priscilla promised to do her best, just as Lisa Marie always did.

During the service held at the family's Graceland estate, Riley's husband, Ben Smith-Petersen, delivered a heartfelt letter on behalf of his late wife. In the letter, he expressed his gratitude for having spent 33 years with her and thanked her for being an exceptional mother. He reminisced about how he had always known that she was the best mother for him, a sentiment he had held since his earliest memories.

Scroll below for a breakdown of the drama surrounding Lisa Marie’s will.

Credit: Earl Gibson III/Shutterstock

Priscilla Challenges Lisa Marie’s Will

Priscilla challenged her daughter's will in court on January 27, 2023, citing the invalidity of a 2016 amendment. She argued that her daughter's signature appeared forged and did not match her usual writing style. Additionally, the amendment lacked witnesses and was notarized without Priscilla's knowledge or consent. This amendment replaced Priscilla and Siegel as co-trustees with Riley and Benjamin, with Riley becoming the sole trustee of her mother's estate following Benjamin's death in July 2020.

Credit: Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock

Riley Weighs In

According to an insider who spoke with Us in March 2023, Riley has always been aware of the tension between her mother and grandmother and has made efforts to bring them closer together. Even after her mother's passing, she continues to act as a mediator while also respecting her mother's wishes.

The source also noted that “Riley knew she would be the trustee for her mother, so that was no shock," adding, "She’s been communicating with her dad and sisters."

Credit: Jim Smeal/BEI/Shutterstock

Lockwood’s Petition

During the ongoing legal dispute, Lisa Marie's former spouse, Lockwood, with whom she was married from 2006 to 2021, submitted a request to be appointed as the guardian ad litem for their twin daughters, Harper and Finely. According to court documents obtained by Us in March 2023, one of the minors is a beneficiary of a trust that is the subject of the probate court proceedings, and therefore requires representation by a guardian ad litem. The proposed guardian has no conflict of interest, as they are not a beneficiary of the trust in question.

Credit: Rob Latour/Shutterstock

'All Good'

According to Priscilla's son, Navarone Garibaldi, there is no drama between his mom and step-niece.

The musician, who shares custody of the children with Priscilla's ex Marco Garibaldi, clarified in an April 2023 Instagram Live session, as reported by The Sun, that there is no feud between them. He mentioned that they had gone out for dinner and things went smoothly. As

suggests, everything seems to be just fine between them.

Credit: Photo by Steve Cohn/Shutterstock

Reaching a Settlement

According to CNN, during a court hearing in May 2023 in Los Angeles, Priscilla's attorney, Ronson J. Shamoun, reported that the parties had reached a settlement. Shamoun later informed reporters outside the court that everyone was pleased, united, and looking forward to the future. However, details of the settlement were not disclosed during the hearing.

Credit: Matt Baron/Shutterstock

The Sole Trustee

In June 2023, Riley took the necessary legal steps to become the sole trustee of her late mother's estate by filing a petition to approve the settlement agreement she had reached with her grandmother a month prior. Her siblings, Harper and Finley, will have sub-trusts under her management. Priscilla, on the other hand, will receive a lump sum payment from the trust, the exact amount of which has not been disclosed.

The court documents acquired by Entertainment Tonight reveal that the actress who played Zola intends to protect the funds in a way that aligns with the beneficiaries' needs and is not swayed by the trustee's desires.