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Priscilla Presley mourns Lisa Marie, says she and Riley Keough have 'always gotten along'

KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
Updated
5 min read

Priscilla Presley opened up about the loss of her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in a rare in-depth interview with Piers Morgan.

In a nearly hourlong interview for "Piers Morgan Uncensored" that aired Thursday – a day before the release of Sofia Coppola's "Priscilla" movie – Priscilla Presley recalled some of her memories with Lisa Marie, including breaking the news of father Elvis' death nearly 50 years ago as well as the mother and daughter's final moments together earlier this year. The rock 'n' roll icon's only child, Lisa Marie died at age 54 of sequelae of small bowel obstruction, an intestinal blockage.

"It was unbearable. I lost my mother, I lost my grandson, and I lost my daughter," Priscilla said. "It's like a large part of your life is taken away."

Priscilla Presley on 'the last hug' she gave Lisa Marie

Riley Keough, from left, Lisa Marie Presley and Priscilla Presley greet the press during a red carpet event before the screening for the new biopic movie 'Elvis' at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn. on Saturday, June 11, 2022.
Riley Keough, from left, Lisa Marie Presley and Priscilla Presley greet the press during a red carpet event before the screening for the new biopic movie 'Elvis' at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn. on Saturday, June 11, 2022.

Lisa Marie Presley had had a festive week leading up to her death, celebrating what would have been her father's 88th birthday with fans at Elvis' Memphis home, Graceland.

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She then attended the Golden Globe Awards, tearfully applauding alongside her mother as Austin Butler received a Golden Globe Award for his portrayal of the King of Rock 'n' Roll in Baz Luhrmann's biopic "Elvis."

"She didn't look well that night, and I was concerned. … She looked very frail," Priscilla said of their Golden Globes outing.

Lisa Marie Presley attends the 80th annual Golden Globe Awards on January 10, 2023.
Lisa Marie Presley attends the 80th annual Golden Globe Awards on January 10, 2023.

Lisa Marie suggested that they celebrate after the awards show at Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood but had to leave. Priscilla remembers her saying, "Mom, I have to go. My stomach really hurts."

"Then I hugged her, and she went her way, and I went mine, and that hug was the last hug I gave her," Priscilla said.

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When she arrived at the hospital, it was "too late."

"It's still shocking that I don't have her. I got that call from her ex-husband, Danny, that I need to go to the hospital," she added. "This is not the first time, but I never thought it was the last."

'Priscilla' review: Elvis Presley's ex-wife gets a stylish yet superficial movie treatment

Priscilla Presley protected daughter Lisa Marie from news of Elvis' death

Lisa Marie Presley poses for her first picture, safe in the lap of her mother, Priscilla, on Feb. 5, 1968, while proud father, Elvis Presley, beams his approval. The baby is the first and only child for Elvis and Priscilla.
Lisa Marie Presley poses for her first picture, safe in the lap of her mother, Priscilla, on Feb. 5, 1968, while proud father, Elvis Presley, beams his approval. The baby is the first and only child for Elvis and Priscilla.

Morgan also asked Priscilla about Elvis' death in 1977 – a topic that still makes her emotional almost 50 years later.

"I'm a little surprised at myself that I still get emotional," she said. "The love is still there. … He's still so present."

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It was "devastating to get a call. Absolutely devastating," she admitted, adding that she'd talked to her ex-husband two nights prior to his death. "I can still hear Joe Esposito's words: 'Priscilla, Elvis is dead.' "

"My big fear was Lisa: How do I tell her? She was only 9 at the time," Priscilla told Morgan. "I just told her we're going to Graceland; we're going to go see Daddy. But daddy will be resting. … I said, 'Well, he's going to go to sleep for awhile.' And she goes, 'Will I be able to go see him?' And I said, 'Yes, you'll be able to see him.'"

Priscilla took her sister and Lisa Marie to Europe for two weeks to avoid the paparazzi stationed at their house. Along the way, she prevented her daughter from seeing newspaper headlines about Elvis; later, she also asked Lisa Marie's teachers to not mention anything.

Priscilla surmises that Elvis' death "didn’t really hit (Lisa Marie) until later."

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Priscilla Presley: Elvis 'respected the fact that I was only 14 years old' when they met

Priscilla Presley, Riley Keough reach settlement agreement over Lisa Marie estate

Following Lisa Marie's death, a legal battle over her estate ensued, with an agreement settled earlier this year.

Priscilla Presley reached a settlement agreement with granddaughter Riley Keough in May, the details of which were officially released late last month. Keough, 34, was officially named sole trustee of her late mother Lisa Marie's estate in June.

Documents obtained by USA TODAY, approved by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Monday, show Priscilla Presley will receive a $1 million lump-sum payment from Lisa Marie's $25 million life insurance policy.

Priscilla Presley can be buried at Graceland near Elvis Presley, according to the settlement agreement she reached with granddaughter Riley Keough.
Priscilla Presley can be buried at Graceland near Elvis Presley, according to the settlement agreement she reached with granddaughter Riley Keough.

Other terms of the settlement include naming Priscilla Presley's son and Lisa Marie's half-brother, Navarone Garibaldi, 36, a beneficiary of Lisa Marie's trust; and approval for Priscilla to be buried at Graceland near her ex-husband Elvis Presley upon her death.

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“My feelings are great," Priscilla told Piers Morgan of her desire to be buried at Graceland. "That’s what I want and (have) wanted.”

Priscilla Presley says she and granddaughter Riley Keough 'have always been close'

Priscilla Presley will also receive $100,000 a year, paid in monthly installments, for her role as special advisor of the trust. The payments are guaranteed for 10 years or until her death, even if her role were to be terminated.

Garibaldi will receive 1/9 of the trust as a beneficiary of Lisa Marie's trust, while Keough and her 15-year-old half-sisters, Harper and Finley Lockwood, will receive the remaining eight-ninths.

The document says that by reaching a settlement, the parties are "avoiding the spectacle of intra-family litigation" that would have been against Lisa Marie's wishes and "not in the best interests of the family."

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Priscilla Presley has maintained the legal battle had no effect on her and Keough's relationship.

"I love her. We’ve always gotten along," Priscilla Presley said of the "Daisy Jones & The Six" actress in the interview. "Yes, there was a little bit of trying to figure out (the) will, trying to figure out like you normally do. But Riley and I have always been close."

"I think Riley will be great. She has asked me a few things about what to do. I want to help her with Graceland," she added.

"With Riley, I told her, anything she needs to know about Graceland, about Elvis – more so about Elvis because she never really took a part of going to Graceland, only on special times, whether it be Christmas or we'd all go for some occasion, not that many times – but I want her to know a lot about Elvis. And I'll probably help her in that way."

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How did Elvis and Priscilla meet? What to know about the duo ahead of 'Priscilla' movie

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman and Marco della Cava, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Priscilla Presley on final moments with Lisa Marie, Graceland burial

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