Priscilla Presley on Lisa Marie Presley estate agreement: ‘Elvis would be proud’

Six months after Lisa Marie Presley’s death launched a trust dispute amongst the ranks of her family, her mother, Priscilla Presley, says her initial “petition was misconstrued.”

On June 12, Riley Keough filed a petition to the Los Angeles Superior Court asking to be named the sole trustee of her late mother Lisa Marie Presley’s trust. New documents obtained by NBC News show that on the same day, Priscilla Presley filed a declaration of support also to the Los Angeles Superior Court.

“My January 2023 petition was misconstrued in the press as a ‘fight’ over my beloved daughter’s trust (The Promenade Trust),” her June 12 declaration reads in part. “This was not the intent. The petition was filed by a law firm who has since been terminated.”

“I filed this petition to resolve all potential uncertainty surrounding the interpretation of the Promenade Trust (the ‘Trust’),” the statement continues. “My daughter’s passing was both devastating and heartbreaking. We have learned that the fans realize that we are ‘Just A Family.’ Elvis would be proud and his and Lisa’s wishes are what are most important to all of us. My granddaughter, through her counsel, along with my team, worked diligently and tirelessly to resolve all misunderstandings as a family.”

Priscilla Presley was married to rock ‘n ‘roll legend Elvis Presley from 1967–1973. The two shared their daughter Lisa Marie Presley who passed away in January 2023. Riley Keough, who recently starred in “Daisy Jones and The Six,” is Lisa Marie Presley’s daughter.

In her declaration, Priscilla Presley went on to express her concern over the “danger” that media attention around the dispute might cause.

“The media has used my petition as an excuse to pry into our families, personal and private affairs, including as to my own end-of-life wishes,” the declaration adds. “The Settlement Agreement contains private details regarding my daughter’s Trust that is to benefit my two (2) minor granddaughters. If this information were to become public, it could put me and my family’s safety at risk. This would subject me to significant danger, emotional distress, and negatively affect my physical and mental health. We have all been through enough.”

According to court documents obtained by NBC News, attorneys for Keough, 34, filed a petition in the Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 12 for approval of last month’s settlement agreement with her 78-year-old grandmother, Priscilla Presley, among other family members.

The agreement puts Priscilla Presley as the trustee of the 1/9 sub-trust for her son Navarone Garibaldi Garcia — Lisa Marie Presley’s late brother who has no relation to Elvis Presley.

The remainder of the trust will be split among Keough and her 14-year-old twin sisters, Harper and Finley Lockwood.

Once the court approves the settlement, Keough will also become the trustee of sub-trusts for Harper and Finley. Keough’s attorney, Justin Gold, noted that the actor will not charge any fee for services as trustee, adding that “the beneficiaries all save money that would have gone to Priscilla, who was going to charge a trustee fee.”

According to Gold, the money provided to Keough via the trust “will be safeguarded and invested in a manner consistent with the needs of the beneficiaries, and not influenced by the desires of a trustee.”

Keough additionally filed the petition to ensure any third parties dealing with the trust and estate are aware of who has been named trustee, the documents state.

“In settling the claims pending in Priscilla’s Petition, the parties are saving significant legal fees by avoiding litigation, and they are likewise avoiding the spectacle of intra-family litigation that would have been inimical to Lisa’s wishes and not in the best interests of the family,” Gold wrote in the petition.

The documents state that Priscilla Presley was officially removed as trustee for the estate of late daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who died January 12, 2023.

Weeks after her daughter’s death, Priscilla Presley asked a court to find a “purported” amendment found in a 2016 document that removed her as co-trustee as invalid. The document “pertaining to be an amendment” of the trust instead named Riley Keough and the late Benjamin Keough as co-trustees.

Representatives for Riley Keough, Priscilla Presley and Navarone Garcia did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.

On Thursday afternoon, Priscilla Presley posted a photo on Instagram of her with Riley Keough as well as Harper and Finley Lockwood.

"Happy Graduation girls!" the caption, seemingly dedicated to the twins, reads. "You're now in high school!!!"

This article was originally published on TODAY.com