Priscilla Presley, the widow of Elvis Presley, has disclosed that the death of their only daughter, Lisa Marie, has 'separated' the Presley family. The 80-year-old matriarch made the revelation during a speaking event in Las Vegas over the weekend, joined by her son, Navarone Garibaldi Garcia, 39.
Family Fractures After Loss
In an audio clip obtained by the Daily Mail, Priscilla stated, 'It's kind of separated us in a way.' She reflected on how before Lisa Marie's passing, the family would 'get together and have meals and, of course, you know, have family.'
Lisa Marie died from a small bowel obstruction in January 2023 at age 54. She is survived by her daughters Harper and Finley Lockwood, 18, from her marriage to Michael Lockwood, 64, and Riley Keough, 36, from her marriage to Danny Keough, 61. Her son Benjamin Keough died by suicide at age 27 in July 2020.
Granddaughters Living Independently
Priscilla noted that her granddaughters, now 18, lead independent lives: 'They have their boyfriends and, you know, do their thing.'
While acknowledging they remain close, Priscilla's son Navarone offered further insight. He suggested that losing Benjamin 'was the first thing that separated us.' He elaborated, 'When you would think that would be something that should bring everybody together, that somehow separated us further, because everybody grieves in different ways, and everybody felt, you know, put blame on somebody in different ways, and just felt different ways about it.'
Moving Toward Reconciliation
Navarone added a more hopeful note regarding the aftermath of Lisa Marie's death: 'Now, after my sister died, I feel like now we're actually coming closer together, and I feel like we're all letting go of those feelings.'
Despite their famously fraught relationship, Priscilla and Lisa Marie were together just days before Lisa Marie's death, attending the Golden Globes to celebrate Austin Butler's win for the 2022 biographical drama Elvis.
Legal Disputes and Heartfelt Letters
Last year, Priscilla settled a legal battle with her oldest grandchild, Riley, over Lisa Marie's estate. The dispute began after Priscilla questioned the validity of a 2016 amendment to the will that removed her as a trustee and replaced her with Riley and Benjamin. A settlement was reached in May 2023, with both parties claiming to be 'on good terms.'
However, a $50 million lawsuit filed by Priscilla's former business partners, Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, revealed a poignant letter from Riley to her grandmother. In the letter, Riley expressed hurt over the legal action, stating, 'Unfortunately Nona as you are taking me to court I am being forced to defend my mother’s wishes legally and publicly which would not have been my choice.'
Riley alleged that she had 'advocated for' and 'protected' her grandmother from lawsuits her late mother had wanted to file, insisting she 'always tried to keep everyone operating out of love.' She also mentioned that even weeks before Lisa Marie's death, her mother wanted to sue Priscilla again, but Riley intervened. 'I believed then and now, lawsuits among family members have no place, but here we are,' she wrote.
Riley further expressed distress over being contacted about the will less than 24 hours after her mother's passing and receiving legal emails before the burial. 'My hope is that you are being poorly advised and this is not actually coming from you,' she added.
A Legacy of Loss
Lisa Marie was laid to rest next to her father, Elvis Presley, and her son Benjamin. Elvis died in 1977 when Lisa Marie was nine. Priscilla and Elvis separated in early 1972 and finalized their divorce the following year. Priscilla later had son Navarone in 1987 with music producer Marco Garibaldi; the couple parted ways in 2006.
