It hasn’t been a full month yet since the sudden and tragic passing of Lisa Marie Presley, who died at 54 after suffering a cardiac event in her home. The days after have been filled with warm words from friends like Leah Remini and Nic Cage, along with a tribute from her daughter, Riley Keough. While the tight-knit family, which includes her mother, Elvis’ widow Priscilla Presley, and Lisa Marie’s 14-year-old twins, has banded together to help each other through this sad time, Priscilla has now filed to contest her daughter’s will, and we know what the $35 million suit says.
Why Is Priscilla Presley Contesting Lisa Marie Presley’s Will?
It was just a few days ago that the younger Presley was laid to rest at Graceland (near her father, and son Benjamin, who died in the summer of 2020), in a lovely service that made the news of her having become a grandmother public. Though we had heard that her three daughters would be taking over the estate, there are now some legal matters to contend with, as the Los Angeles Times reports that their own grandmother has filed a petition in L.A. County Superior Court which questions the “authenticity and validity” of Lisa Marie’s will.
Under dispute is an amendment to the document which was made in 2016, that claims to remove Priscilla Presley and her daughter’s former business manager, Barry Siegel, as co-trustees of the will, and replace them with Riley and Benjamin. Right now, the elder Presley and Siegel are still acting as trustees, and her petition wants them to remain as such. This is because the suit notes that the amendment was “allegedly signed by Lisa Marie Presley,” but supposedly misspells Priscilla’s name, and also has a signature that “appears inconsistent with [Lisa Marie Presley’s] usual and customary signature."
In addition, the filing alleges that this amendment had never been notarized or witnessed, and that it wasn’t delivered to the Presley matriarch while her daughter was still alive “as required by the express terms of the trust.” According to the petition, The Naked Gun actress also believes that Siegel “has already or will soon resign as co-trustee,” which will leave Priscilla and Riley as co-trustees. The filing asks that the “purported” amendment be invalidated, and the 2010 version of the trust be named “the controlling and authoritative document and its terms administered.”
What’s Included In Lisa Marie Presley’s Will That’s Now Being Contested By Priscilla Presley?
Based on a report from Radar Online, one thing that is a part of the singer/songwriter’s will are the two insurance policies that she took out before her death, with one for $25 million and another for $10 million. Apparently, both have already been paid out, but with the late star having been in a lot of debt, including owing back taxes totaling $700,000 to various states, needing to repay a $1.17 million loan to Barclay’s Bank UK, and having a number of legal fees from her contentious divorce from her twins’ father, there will be about $30 million left for her children.
There have also been some questions about whether or not her young twins will remain with their father now, as it was reported that her first ex-husband Danny, and/or their daughter Riley could petition for custody. Right now, however, the girls are living with their dad, Michael Lockwood, and slowly getting used to their new normal, though they are, obviously, still “reeling” from her death.
We’ll likely hear more about the proceedings to contest the will before too long, but all we can really hope is that the family will be able to continue the healing process while legal matters are ironed out.
