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Highlights

• Lisa Marie Presley asked her daughter, Riley Keough, to help complete her memoirs before her passing.
• Initially, Keough postponed the project but later decided to honor her mother's final wish.
• Keough is now the sole trustee of Graceland and has taken on the responsibility of preserving the Presley family legacy.

On January 12th, 2023, music icon Lisa Marie Presley shockingly passed away, days after appearing at the Golden Globes in support of Baz Luhrmann's Elvis biopic. Her death, which was uncomfortably reminiscent of her beloved father's, shook fans around the world. Even their funerals had eery similarities.

Presley had four children, including actress Riley Keough. According to Nicki Swift, Presley and Keough were reportedly "very close." At the time of her passing, Presley was working on her most personal project yet. She had asked Keough to help her complete it, but Keough felt the time was not right. Just over a year after Presley's passing, Keough announced that she had decided to help bring her mom's final vision to life.

What Was Lisa Marie's Final Request For Daughter Riley Keough?

Lisa Marie Presley was born the daughter of American royality. Since she was an infant, she was in the spotlight. Presley was one of the most famous children on the planet. The daughter of global superstar Elvis Presley and his then-wife Priscilla Presley, Presley only knew fame. Despite a loving childhood, she was exposed to a lot of difficult things as a child. Certainly the most challenging was when she unexpectedly lost her father at nine years old in August 1977.

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Loosing a parent as a child is hard enough. However, Presley had to deal with the fact that her father was one of the most beloved entertainers in history. She had to share her grief with millions of strangers around the world. Elvis Presley's passing was felt by an endless number of people, a majority of them Presley himself never knew personally.

Lisa Marie Presley grew up without her father, and this had a profound impact on her. Her upbringing was never normal, even though her mom, Priscilla Presley, tried to provide her with a quiet adolescence and teenagerhood. Throughout her adulthood, she had multiple controversial marriages, including to Michael Jackson and Nicholas Cage, and struggled with substance abuse. The most difficult thing Presley ever faced happened in July 2020, when her son, Benjamin Keough, took his own life.

Throughout her fifty-four years of life, Presley experienced immeasurable happiness and sadness. Her life was beyond unique. In her final years, she often spent time secluded as she was still mourning her son's passing. For the first time in a while, Presley began to make public appearances again the month she passed away. She attended her father's birthday celebration at Graceland as well as the Golden Globes. Presley never expected to pass away so abruptly and was making plans to come back into public life.

During her time of seclusion, Presley was working on a deeply personal project of reflection. She was preparing and writing her memoirs. According to Riley Keough, "she had been working on it for... three or four years" before her passing. According to People Magazine, Presley had asked Keough to help her complete the book.

Random House, the book's publisher, articulated that Keough at first was not ready to work on such a project. In a statement, a representative of the publisher said that Keough "pushed off the project, feeling that there would be a right time for them to sit down together and finish it.'" Unfortunately, that right time never came during Presley's lifetime.

Once Lisa Marie Presley passed away, Keough changed her mind and wanted to make her mom's final wish come true. "It's just something I felt that I needed to do for her and help her complete that project...It's very bittersweet and I am happy to do that for her. I feel honored to be able to help," Keough said.

Keough elaborated on working on her mom's memoirs,

"It's extremely emotional and also very therapeutic"

She added that, "It makes me feel very close to her. So its kind of, again, bittersweet and difficult, but also really special." The book, which is "comprised mostly of Presley's own words", also features segments written by Keough based on her recollections, according to ABC News.

Additionally from completing her mom's memoirs, Keough was named the sole trustee of Graceland and the Elvis Presley Estate in August 2023. She has taken on an important role in preserving the legacies of her grandfather and mother, despite pursuing an acting career herself.

How Has Riley Keough Honored The Presley Family Legacy Since Being Named Sole Trustee?

For many Elvis Presley fans, the announcement of Riley Keough as sole trustee of Graceland was met with relief. Keough, who is accomplished in her own right, has always remained proud of her roots. The actress is young and energetic. She, more than anyone, has the potential to help introduce her grandfather's work to future generations.

More importantly, Keough is a role model for her younger siblings, Harper and Finley, and can become like a second mother to them as they finish their teenage years. She can help lead the next generation of Presleys and educate them on the family legacy.

In September 2023, Keough's first major Graceland-related project was announced, according to Billboard. In collaboration with NBC, Keough executively produced a Christmas special filmed at Graceland. Christmas at Graceland aimed to honor Elvis Presley's legacy and his love for the Christmas holiday. Furthermore, it featured a series of performances from some of the industry's biggest names including John Legend and Post Malone. According to Variety, the special received 5.2 million views.

In January 2024, Keough's involvement with Lisa Marie Presley's memoirs was announced by publisher, Random House.

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