Benjamin Keough: What Really Happened to the Son of Lisa Marie Presley

When a photo of Benjamin Keough first hit the internet years ago, people basically lost their minds. He didn't just look a little bit like his grandfather; he was a walking, talking mirror image of a young Elvis Presley. That same heavy-lidded stare. The pout. It was uncanny.

But behind that face—the one that made fans at the Grand Ole Opry gasp and beg for photos—was a guy who honestly just wanted to find his own feet. Being the son of Lisa Marie Presley meant inheriting a crown that was way too heavy for most people to carry.

The Life of Benjamin Storm Keough

Born in October 1992, Ben was the second child of Lisa Marie and her first husband, musician Danny Keough. Unlike his sister, actress Riley Keough, Ben mostly stayed out of the bright lights. He was "Ben Ben" to his family. A quiet kid. A "typical teenager" who his mom once joked wouldn't get out of bed before noon.

Life was a weird mix of normal and "holy cow." One day he's hanging out with his dad, and the next his mom is married to Michael Jackson. Then it's Nicolas Cage. Growing up in that kind of whirlwind does things to a person.

That Famous Face

It’s hard to overstate how much he looked like Elvis. Lisa Marie said it herself: sometimes she’d look at him and just feel overwhelmed.

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• He had the same bone structure as the King.
• Fans would literally swarm him because of the resemblance.
• It wasn't just physical; he had a certain "energy" that reminded people of the 1950s icon.

In 2009, rumors swirled that he’d signed a $5 million record deal with Universal. People expected him to be the next big thing. But the music never came out. Maybe the pressure of being compared to the greatest entertainer ever was just too much. Honestly, can you blame him?

The Tragedy in Calabasas

On July 12, 2020, the news broke that the son of Lisa Marie Presley had died at age 27. It happened in Calabasas, California. The report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office was heartbreaking: it was a suicide.

Lisa Marie was "completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated." People who knew them said Ben was the love of her life. He was her "twin" in spirit.

A Grief Nobody Expected

The world found out recently—through Lisa Marie's posthumous memoir From Here to the Great Unknown—just how deep that grief went. She actually kept Ben’s body on dry ice in a separate room (a "casitas") at her home for two months.

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It sounds shocking. To some, it sounds like something out of a gothic novel. But for Lisa Marie, it was about parenting. She wasn't ready to say goodbye. She needed to decide if he should be buried in Hawaii or at Graceland.

She wrote about how she’d go in and talk to him. It was her way of processing a loss that eventually, many believe, led to her own passing in 2023. She died of a "broken heart" as much as anything else.

Why Benjamin Keough Still Matters

We talk about "nepo babies" now like it's a new thing, but Ben lived the darkest version of that reality. He was a talented guy who struggled with depression and the "Presley curse."

1. The Weight of the Name: He had to live up to a legacy he didn't ask for.
2. The Quiet Struggle: He dealt with addiction and mental health issues away from the cameras.
3. The Family Bond: His relationship with Riley and his twin sisters, Finley and Harper, was incredibly tight.

Today, Benjamin is buried in the Meditation Garden at Graceland. He’s right there next to his grandfather and his mother.

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Moving Forward

If there’s anything to take away from Ben’s story, it’s that fame and money don't protect you from the human stuff. The "Presley" name carries a lot of magic, but it carries a lot of ghosts too.

To really honor his memory, fans often look toward the work Riley Keough is doing to preserve the estate. She’s the sole trustee now. She’s the one keeping the family together.

If you or someone you know is struggling, the best thing you can do is reach out. Talk to someone. Don't carry the weight alone. You can start by checking out resources like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline if you're in the US. Real help is actually just a phone call or text away.