The passing of their only daughter, Lisa Marie, “separated” the Presley family, according to Elvis Presley’s wife, Priscilla Presley.
During a speaking event in Las Vegas over the weekend, the 80-year-old mother discussed her daughter’s passing with her 39-year-old son, Navarone Garibaldi Garcia.
In an audio tape that the Daily Mail was able to obtain, she added, “It’s kind of separated us in a way,” adding that the family would “get together and have meals and, of course, you know, have family” prior to Lisa Marie’s death.
At the age of 54, Lisa Marie passed away in January 2023 due to a slight intestinal obstruction. She left behind two daughters: Riley Keough, 36, who was born to her and her ex-husband Danny Keough, 61, and Harper and Finley Lockwood, 18, who were born to her and her ex-husband Michael Lockwood, 64.
Benjamin Keough, the 27-year-old son of Lisa Marie and Danny, committed suicide in July 2020.
“They have their boyfriends and, you know, do their thing,” Priscilla said of her 18-year-old grandchildren.
At a speech in Las Vegas, Priscilla Presley, the 80-year-old widow of Elvis Presley, stated that the passing of their only daughter, Lisa Marie, “separated” the Presley family; Priscilla photographed in 2025
Lisa Marie passed away in January 2023 at the age of 54 due to a tiny intestinal obstruction; Lisa Marie and Priscilla photographed in 2015 Lisa Marie began to reply, “Even though we’re close,” but her son interrupted, saying that losing Lisa Marie’s son Benjamin “was the first thing that separated us.”
“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,” he said. “Somehow, that separated us further,” added Garcia, who Priscilla shares with 71-year-old ex-Marco Garibaldi.
Garcia provided an alternative viewpoint to his mother regarding the strained relationship within the family after Lisa Marie’s death.
“I feel like we’re actually getting closer now that my sister passed away, and I feel like we’re all letting go of those feelings,” he remarked.
Days before the star’s passing, Priscilla and Lisa Marie were together at the Golden Globes to witness Austin Butler’s significant victory for the 2022 biographical drama Elvis, despite their well-known tumultuous relationship.
Priscilla’s legal dispute with Riley, her eldest granddaughter, regarding the estate of her daughter Lisa Marie was resolved last year.
After a 2016 addendum removed Lisa Marie as a trustee and replaced her with her adult grandchildren, Riley and Riley’s brother Benjamin, Priscilla began a protracted court struggle with Riley after Lisa Marie’s unexpected death by contesting the validity of her daughter’s will.
Four months after the mother-of-four passed away, in May, they negotiated a settlement and declared themselves to be “on good terms.”
However, a devastating letter Riley wrote to her grandmother was exposed in a $50 million lawsuit brought by Priscilla’s former business partners, Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko.
“It’s kind of separated us in a way,” she said in an audio clip obtained by the Daily Mail, adding that prior to Lisa Marie’s passing the family would “get together and have meals and, of course, you know, have family.” Priscilla was spotted with Lisa Marie and her granddaughter Riley Keough in 2015. Should families put aside grievances after loss, or do inheritance disputes make things worse?
“They have their boyfriends and, you know, do their thing,” Priscilla said of her 18-year-old granddaughters, Harper and Finley Lockwood. (L-R) Finley, Lisa Marie, Priscilla, Riley, and Harper pictured in 2022
The loss of Lisa Marie’s son Benjamin to suicide in 2020 “was the first thing that separated us,” according to her son Navarone Garibaldi Garcia, 39, who accompanied her to the event. Priscilla and Navarone were seen in 2015. “When you would think that would be something that should bring everybody together, that somehow separated us further, because everybody grieves in different ways,” he said.
Days before the star’s passing, Priscilla and Lisa Marie were together at the Golden Globes to witness Austin Butler’s significant victory for Elvis, despite their well-known tumultuous relationship.
The complete letter from the Zola actress was included in Brigitte and Kevin’s amended complaint, which Daily Mail was able to obtain. “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 wrote. “It is really hurtful that after years of me trying to resolve your and my mother’s broken relationship and restore our family, you are taking me, of all people, to court,” she continued.
The celebrity asserted that she had “always tried to keep everyone operating out of love” and that she had “advocated for” and “protected” her grandma from litigation that her late mother had intended to bring against her.
“Even a few weeks before my mother passed away, she wanted to sue you again and you called me for help,” Riley continued in the letter.
She claimed that her intense lobbying of her mother resulted in a “fight” between them.
It was added, “But as you know, she decided to listen to me and not sue you.” “I thought family lawsuits had no place, both then and now, but here we are.”
She continued by saying that instead of giving everyone in the family time to grieve Lisa Marie’s passing, Priscilla concentrated on her will too soon.
Riley added, “I must also share with you that I found it extremely heartbreaking to be called about the will less than 24 hours after my mother passed away and to receive emails from lawyers before my mother was even buried.”
Priscilla and Riley, her eldest grandchild, reached a settlement last year about Lisa Marie’s fortune; the two are shown in 2024.
After Lisa Marie was born in 1968, rock and roll icon Elvis and Priscilla were spotted together. “It was very upsetting that I was forced to find a lawyer to represent me and my sisters and my mother’s wishes within days of her passing,” she added, before giving her grandmother the benefit of the doubt and speculating that Priscilla’s attorneys might have advised her to take legal action.
Riley added, “But you must understand that this chosen path can only further estrange our family, which is really sad.” “I hope this isn’t coming from you and you’re just getting bad advice.”
Lisa Marie was buried alongside her son Benjamin and her father, rock ‘n’ roll legend Elvis. At the age of nine, Elvis passed away in 1977.
Early in 1972, Priscilla and Elvis split formally, and the following year, their divorce was finalised.
Later, in 1987, Priscilla and music producer Garibaldi welcomed their son, Navarone. In 2006, she and Garibaldi broke up.
