As the only child of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Lisa Marie inherited the bulk of Elvis’ fortune – thought to be worth over US$100 million – when he died. Keough then took ownership of the estate when Lisa Marie died, but according to People, Priscilla has contested her daughter’s will in the days following her death.

Things only escalated from there, with Lisa Marie’s ex-husband Michael Lockwood – who’s often described as an “outsider” – being granted custody of the couple’s twin daughters, Harper and Finley.

Here’s everything you need to know about the ongoing legal – and evidently emotional – battle between the Presleys.

Priscilla Presley’s petition for amendment

The world was taken aback by Lisa Marie’s death on January 12 in Los Angeles following a cardiac arrest. Many Elvis fans had watched his one and only daughter grow up in the spotlight, and to lose another Presley at such a young age came as a shock.

Families often find themselves embroiled in drama in the aftermath of a loved one’s passing, but for the Presleys, the stakes couldn’t be higher given that there’s a multimillion-dollar estate in the mix.

Despite Keough taking control of Elvis’ estate after her mother’s death, her grandmother Priscilla contested Lisa Marie’s will, according to court documents obtained by US media.

However, after the tragic death of Benjamin in 2020, Riley, 33, became the sole trustee of her mother’s estate.

The battle for Graceland

Things only got more heated in the Presley household after the petition was filed.

One rumour even stated that Priscilla was locked out of the Graceland estate by her granddaughter Keough on a recent trip to Memphis, but a spokesperson has since denied the claims.

Lisa Marie’s will includes the Graceland mansion and a 15 per cent stake in Elvis Presley Enterprises, per British media.

Lisa Marie’s “outsider” ex-husband wins custody twins Harper and Finley

Lisa Marie and Lockwood’s marriage ended in 2016 with a “messy” split and lengthy divorce that was only finalised in 2021, according to US media.

Since Lisa Marie’s death, reports show that the case was to be dismissed, giving Lockwood full custody of his two daughters with their grandmother Priscilla.

This may not sound like an issue, given that the twins would be in the care of their only surviving parent, but Keough had taken her mum’s side during the custody battle and believes the court ruling means she is “losing her half-sisters to an outsider”, according to The New Zealand Herald.

To make matters worse for Keough, Priscilla registered no objection to the ruling, and even flew with Lockwood to Lisa Marie’s funeral against the former’s wishes, according to the same publication.

According to court documents obtained by UK media, Lockwood, a 61-year-old musician, asked a judge in early March to appoint him as the twins’ guardian so he can represent them during the next court hearing.

What have Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough said?

While neither Priscilla nor Keough have spoken openly on the matter, Priscilla has given some cryptic statements to the press.

Priscilla told Entertainment Tonight: “There is an individual that bought their way into the family enterprise that is trying to speak on behalf of our family. This person is not a representative of Elvis or our family,” she said, without revealing who she was referring to. “Please allow us the time we need to work together and sort this out. Please ignore ‘the noise’.”

According to the LA Times, Priscilla and Keough are believed to be communicating only through lawyers.

Keough is yet to comment on the petition, but Joel Weinshanker, a managing partner at Elvis Presley Enterprises, recently spoke out in favour of the Mad Max: Fury Road actress. “When Elvis passed away, he left everything to his little girl. He did so knowing that she would be the one to keep his legacy going,” he said on SiriusXM’s Elvis Radio, later adding, “We just want to think about what Lisa would’ve wanted and that’s what’s best for Elvis. She never had a doubt in her mind that that’s Riley.”

So what will happen to Elvis’ estate?

One thing’s for sure – it’ll stay in the family. It’s just a matter of which member of the family.

Priscilla has been credited with turning the property into a moneymaking tourist attraction, helping to “save Graceland” when she was thrust into the role of managing Elvis’ former home. Thanks to Priscilla, by the end of the 1980s, the estate was making US$18 million a year and was worth US$100 million by 1993, according to British media.

The court hearing over the fate of Lisa Marie’s trust is scheduled for April 13.

Busy acting gigs

In the meantime, the two have been keeping very busy.

Keough has been focusing on her acting career, starring in Amazon Prime Video’s new limited series Daisy Jones & The Six and welcoming her first child, a baby girl, with husband Ben Smith-Petersen.

Meanwhile, Priscilla features in Netflix’s new adult action animated series Agent Elvis alongside Matthew McConaughey, who voices the Jailhouse Rock star.

What’s more, the family is still basking in the success of the Elvis biopic, which won multiple nominations and awards at the recent Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Oscars.