Everything changed when Lisa Marie Presley died. One minute the world was mourning a daughter of rock and roll royalty, and the next, the headlines were screaming about a civil war inside Graceland. If you believed the tabloids in early 2023, Riley Keough and Priscilla Presley were essentially at each other's throats over the keys to the kingdom.
But things are rarely that simple. Especially not with the Presleys.
Honestly, the "feud" was more of a legal entanglement than a family fallout. When Lisa Marie passed away in January 2023, a 2016 amendment to her trust surfaced. It essentially booted Priscilla out as a trustee and handed everything to her eldest daughter, Riley. Priscilla's lawyers looked at the signature, saw her name was misspelled, and noticed the document hadn't been notarized. They did what lawyers do—they filed a petition.
Cue the media firestorm. People assumed the grandmother and granddaughter were locked in a bitter grudge match. In reality, they were just trying to untangle a messy estate while grieving.
The $1 Million Handshake and the Graceland Settlement
Fast forward to now, 2026, and the dust has mostly settled. Riley Keough is the sole trustee of the Promenade Trust. She’s the boss. She owns Graceland. She’s the one making the calls for her younger sisters, Harper and Finley.
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To get there, she had to write a check.
The settlement, which was officially signed off by a judge, involved Riley paying Priscilla a lump sum of $1 million. On top of that, the trust covers about $400,000 in Priscilla's legal fees. It sounds like a lot of money because it is. But in the context of an estate that includes Elvis Presley Enterprises and a massive life insurance policy, it was a way to buy peace.
Riley also gave her grandmother a job. Priscilla serves as a "special advisor" to the trust, a role that nets her an additional $100,000 annual salary. It’s a win-win. Riley gets total control, and Priscilla stays connected to the legacy she spent forty years building.
The Burial Spot Controversy
One detail that really got people talking was Priscilla's request to be buried at Graceland. At first, the rumors said Riley had "denied" her grandmother a spot next to Elvis. That’s not quite the whole story.
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Priscilla wanted to be buried directly next to Elvis. The problem? That spot is already occupied. Moving existing gravesites—like those of Elvis’s parents, Vernon and Gladys—is a logistical and emotional nightmare.
The final agreement is much more sensible. Riley agreed that Priscilla will be buried in the Meditation Garden at Graceland "as close to Elvis as possible without moving any existing gravesite." It was a compromise that respected the dead while acknowledging Priscilla's place in the family's history.
Why Riley Keough Is the New Matriarch
Riley isn't just "the granddaughter" anymore. She has stepped into a role that requires a steel spine. Beyond the legal battles with her own family, she’s had to defend Graceland against external threats.
In 2024, she successfully blocked a fraudulent attempt by a company called Naussany Investments to sell the property at auction. They claimed Lisa Marie had used Graceland as collateral for a loan. Riley sued, called it a scam, and won.
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She's also busy being a mom. It was recently revealed that Riley and her husband, Ben Smith-Petersen, welcomed a second child. Priscilla herself shared that news, telling People how much joy she finds in being a great-grandmother.
- Trustee Status: Riley is the sole owner and decision-maker for the estate.
- Family Unity: Despite the lawsuits, they spent the 2025 holidays together, sharing photos of an "unbreakable family bond."
- The Memoir: Riley finished her mother's memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown, ensuring Lisa Marie's voice stayed central to the narrative.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that there is a "winner" and a "loser" here.
People love a villain. They wanted to cast Priscilla as the greedy grandmother or Riley as the cold-hearted heir. But you’ve gotta look at the history. Priscilla saved Graceland in the 80s when the estate was nearly bankrupt. Riley is now the one protecting it for the next generation.
They are two women who have both lost their only daughter and mother, respectively. Grief does weird things to families, especially when millions of dollars are on the line.
Actionable Steps for the Presley Legacy
If you're following the Presley family or planning a trip to Memphis, here is how things stand today:
- Visiting Graceland: The property remains open and is under Riley’s management. Operations haven't changed for tourists.
- The New Era: Look for Riley to be the face of any major Elvis-related projects moving forward. She has the final say on licensing and branding.
- Family Events: Keep an eye on the annual Elvis Week in August. Priscilla still attends as an ambassador, though Riley is the one holding the official keys.
The legal drama is essentially over. What’s left is a family trying to stay a family while living inside a museum. It’s a strange life, but Riley Keough and Priscilla Presley seem to have finally found a way to share the stage.