Priscilla Presley Responds After She Contests Lisa Marie’s Will – Trying To ‘Keep Our Family Together’

Earlier this week, we reported that Priscilla Presley is contesting the will of her late daughter Lisa Marie, who died last month of a heart attack at the age of 54, after the ex-wife of Elvis found out that she has been cut out of it. Now, Priscilla is responding as she marks what would have been Lisa Marie’s 55th birthday.

Full Story: Priscilla Presley Goes To War Over Lisa Marie’s Will – Takes On Her Own Granddaughter

Priscilla Wants To ‘Keep Our Family Together’

“Today would have been Lisa’s 55th birthday. My wish is to protect my three grandchildren and keep our family together,” Priscilla, 77, told Page Six. “From the first moment I held Lisa in my arms, I’ve protected, loved and guided her, as I have my son.”

“Our hearts are broken, and I am having to learn to live without my only daughter,” she added. “We truly love all of you, and we feel your prayers.”

“Thank you so much for caring so deeply for our family,” Priscilla concluded. 

Priscilla Contests Lisa Marie’s Will

This comes after Priscilla began contesting Lisa Marie’s will just days after her daughter’s death upon finding out that she had been cut out of it along with a former business manager back in 2016. The 2016 amendment allows for Lisa Marie’s 33 year-old daughter Riley Keough, a successful Hollywood actress, to inherit the estate, which has been placed into a trust. 

Priscilla has argued in court documents that Lisa Marie’s signature on the amendment is “inconsistent,” and that her own name had been spelled wrong. Sources close to Lisa Marie, however, are arguing that all of this is only a “money grab” on Priscilla’s part.

“She had no relationship with Priscilla, [her ex-husband] Michael Lockwood or her half-brother [Navarone Garibaldi],” one source said.

Lockwood is the father of Lisa Marie’s 14 year-old twin daughters Harper and Finley Lockwood. He and Lisa Marie had an acrimonious divorce that began in 2016 that went on until 2021, and though he was not invited to her memorial service at Graceland, Priscilla allowed him to attend.

Priscilla and Lockwood share the same publicist, and it was her mother maintaining a friendship with him that partly led to Lisa Marie having negative feelings towards her, according to her friends. 

Related: Priscilla Presley Struggling After Death Of Lisa Marie – ‘Very Difficult Time’

Friend Defends Lisa Marie 

“Lisa lived her life authentically,” another friend explained to People Magazine. “She wouldn’t remain quiet when she was being taken advantage of. At the end of the day, these are her wishes, and there’s no question as to what her wishes were. No one’s going to be able to reinvent the last seven or eight years and say no, no, no.”

“No one can argue that Riley being the trustee is going to not be to the benefit of the twins,” this friend continued. 

In the end, those close to Lisa Marie appear to firmly believe that her will should stand as is.

“Lisa’s intent was very clear,” her friend said. “Lisa really didn’t feel that Priscilla was doing anything in her best interest.”

It’s been less than a month since Lisa Marie passed away, so it’s sad to see that a bitter battle over her finances appears to have already begun. We can only hope that her family is able to figure this out without completely falling apart, because in the end, it is not worth it to let money get in the way of family.