In a new interview, Riley Keough has decided to clear up all the rumors surrounding the passing of her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, and the legal drama with her grandmother, Priscilla Presley, and Graceland.
In a sit-down interview with Vanity Fair, the actress also revealed the name of her daughter and how it pays tribute to her late grandfather, Elvis Presley.
Riley Keough also spoke about her ongoing health struggles that led to her using a surrogate to have her first child.
After the death of Lisa Lisa Marie Presley, it was revealed that she named her oldest daughter, Keough, the sole trustee of her estate, which included the ownership of Graceland, that earns around $10 million per year.
In her will, Lisa Marie Presley decided that her three daughters, Riley Keough, Harper, and Finley Lockwood would be the beneficiaries of the Graceland Trust.
Priscilla Presley took Riley Keough to court because she challenged the document. Riley Keough settled with her grandmother out of court for the one-time sum of $1 million.
Despite the court drama, Riley Keough confessed that all is well with Priscilla Presley.
The actress stated: “When my mom passed, there was a lot of chaos in every aspect of our lives. Everything felt like the carpet had been ripped out and the floor had melted from under us. Everyone was in a bit of a panic to understand how we move forward, and it just took a minute to understand the details of the situation, because it’s complicated. We are a family, but there’s also a huge business side of our family. So I think that there was clarity that needed to be had.”
Riley Keough went on to praise Priscilla Presley by saying that she contributed to making Graceland the empire it has become.
She explained: “There was a bit of upheaval, but now everything’s going to be how it was. She’s a beautiful woman, and she was a huge part of creating my grandfather’s legacy and Graceland. It’s very important to her. He was the love of her life. Anything that would suggest otherwise in the press makes me sad because, at the end of the day, all she wants is to love and protect Graceland and the Presley family and the legacy. That’s her whole life. So it’s a big responsibility she has tried to take on. None of that stuff has really ever been a part of our relationship prior. She’s just been my grandma.”
Riley Keough was asked if Priscilla Presley will be buried at Graceland and this is what she had to say: “I don’t know why she wouldn’t be buried at Graceland. I don’t understand what the drama in the news was about. Yeah. If she wants to be, of course. Sharing Graceland with the world was her idea from the start.”
She continued: “I always had positive and beautiful memories and association with Graceland. Now, a lot of my family’s buried there, so it’s a place of great sadness at this point in my life.”
Riley Keough also revealed how she learned to better manage grief due to the loss of her brother, Benjamin Keough.
She confessed: “When I lost my brother [Benjamin to suicide in 2020], there was no road map whatsoever, and it was a lot of big emotions that I didn’t know what to do with. When I lost my mom, I was familiar with the process a little bit more, and I found working to be really helpful. I find it triggering when people say happiness is a choice, but at that moment, I did feel like there was a choice in front of me to give up and let this event take me out or have the courage to work through it. I started trying to move through it and not let it take me out.”
It was a painful yet wonderful year for the actress and her husband, Ben Smith-Petersen, who welcomed a daughter.
The proud mother revealed that her daughter’s name is Tupelo Storm Smith-Petersen. The name honors her late grandfather, Elvis Presley, and brother, Benjamin Storm Keough.
Riley Keough Riley explained: “It’s funny because we picked her name before the Elvis movie. I was like, ‘This is great because it’s not really a well-known word or name in relation to my family—it’s not like Memphis or something.’ Then when the Elvis movie came out, it was like, Tupelo this and Tupelo that. I was like, ‘Oh, no.’ But it’s fine.”
She shared why she had to use a surrogate: “I think it’s a very cool, selfless, and incredible act that these women do to help other people. I can carry children, but it felt like the best choice for what I had going on physically with the autoimmune stuff.”
Riley Keough, who was in Switzerland to receive treatment, said: “I have Lyme disease. I used this little break that I have to come and try and see if I can alleviate it a bit. It’s a holistic treatment center and offers all kinds of things that you can’t really do in America yet, like cleaning your blood.”
Many are applauding the talented actress for the way she is handling things.
