Surprising Facts About Elvis Presley’s Family
Elvis is well-known for being the king of rock and roll, but whatever happened to the rest of his family? Elvis only had one child, a girl named Lisa Marie. After he passed, Priscilla assumed full custody of their daughter. Lisa went on to also have a music career and four children, one of whom grew up to look eerily similar to Elvis. You won't believe that a Presley used to date a Kardashian, or how a devasted Priscilla saved Graceland. Read on for more surprising facts about Elvis Presley's family.
Priscilla Was Only 14 When She Met Elvis
While it's no surprise that Priscilla was younger than Elvis when they wed, you may be shocked to hear that she was only 14 when they met. The young teen somehow found her way into a party where the budding rocker became spellbound by her.
Under the guidance of Priscilla's parents, the two dated until Elvis departed from Germany to continue his career in the US. Priscilla eventually moved to Tennessee and stayed with Elvis' parents while she finished high school.
Elvis' Daughter Is Also A Musician
Though Elvis and Priscilla had a rocky relationship at times, they managed to pull it together long enough to welcome their little girl into the world. Lisa Marie followed in her father's footsteps, releasing her debut album in 2003.
Lisa hit the ground running with her first album peaking at number 5 and becoming certified gold. Critics praised Lisa's third album, Storm & Grace, for being her best one yet and revealing her to be a true artist.
Lisa Marie Is Renowned For Her Charity Work
When Lisa isn't recording music, she's pouring her heart into philanthropy. She founded Presley Charitable Foundation in 2007 and the organization formed Presley Place- New Orleans, a housing unit for the homeless.
Graceland/Elvis Presley Enterprises, which Lisa inherited at the age of 21, had already built a Presley Place in Tennessee in 2001. Lisa also joined Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network to help bring relief to victims of Hurricane Katrina. In 2011, she became a patron of Dream Factory, a UK charity that grants the wish of children with terminally ill diseases.
Elvis' Eldest Granddaughter Is An Award-Winning Actress
Lisa Marie's eldest child is Riley Keough, Elvis' first grandchild. Unlike many of her other family members, Riley's passion does not lie in the world of music. Instead, she fell in love with the art of acting.
Riley is best known for her roles in independent films and has been called a "scream queen" for her parts in thrillers. She won a Gracie Award for her leading role in the series The Girlfriend Experiment and was nominated for her performances in The Good Doctor and American Honey.
Priscilla Could Have Been A Charlie's Angel
Riley's acting bug could be explained by her grandmother Priscilla's eagerness to get on the big screen. Since Elvis reportedly wanted Priscilla to be a housewife, she didn't get to pursue some of her "hobbies" as much as she would have liked when they were together.
After their split, Priscilla kicked off her acting career with a bang, landing a lead role in Charlie's Angels. She surprisingly turned down the part, debuting instead as co-host of Those Amazing Animals. She later starred in The Naked Gun movies and appeared in multiple series, such as Melrose Place and Spin City.
Elvis' Grandson Passed Away At Age 27
Elvis' only male grandchild, Benjamin Keough, passed in 2020 at the young age of 27. As an adult, Ben was regarded for looking strikingly similar to his late grandfather. Both had near-identical facial features and blue eyes.
One notable difference is their hair colors, as Elvis' was jet black, and Ben's was chestnut brown. Ben also had a record deal but remained predominantly out of the limelight. He also had an acting credit for playing the Delivery Guy in the animated short Rod & Barry.
Priscilla And Elvis Both Had Affairs
While Elvis was away filming movies, the tabloids would often spin rumors about his co-star affairs. Young Priscilla grew anxious, especially over his relationship with Ann-Margret. Less talked about are the affairs that Priscilla admitted to in her memoir, Elvis and Me.
The same year their first child was born, Priscilla had an affair with her dance instructor. In 1972, Priscilla fell for her karate teacher, Mike Stone. They developed a relationship, and Priscilla and Elvis separated shortly thereafter.
Lisa Fights To Maintain Custody Of Her Twins
Lisa shares her eldest children with singer-songwriter Danny Keough and her youngest with guitarist and producer Michael Lockwood. After a decade of marriage, Lisa and Michael separated, resulting in shared custody of their twins, Harper and Finley.
After receiving news that Lisa's son Ben passed away, Michael started questioning if she would be fit to continue caring for the twins. Since she has a history of substance abuse, Lisa found herself faced with a custody battle four years after the divorce.
Riley And Ben's Dad Lived In Trailer Park Homes
Lisa's first marriage was to Danny Keough, who she was with from 1988 until 1994. They had Riley and Ben. In an interview with The Guardian, Riley recalled that her musician father wasn't well-off. Riley says, "I grew up very privileged with my mother. But my dad didn’t live like that.
And I think experiencing both sides has been helpful. My father had mattresses on the floor of his apartments. He lived in cabins and trailer parks. He just didn’t have much money.” Riley goes on to say that she admired her father's eccentric personality and wanted to be "poor" when she grew up.
Elvis Grew Up Poor
Riley's down-to-Earth personality in the face of her father's poverty may have to do with the history of her ancestors. Though her grandfather ultimately became a wealthy celebrity, he was brought up poor.
Elvis' father, Vernon, did odd jobs to provide for the family, but they often had to rely on government assistance. At one point Vernon even went to jail for a false check and the family had to move in with relatives. Students would make fun of Elvis, but he would still bring his guitar to school and play during lunchtime.
Lisa Was Married To Michael Jackson And Nicholas Cage
In between her relationships with Danny Keough and Michael Lockwood, Lisa was married to pop legend Michael Jackson and later Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage. She married Michael only 20 days after her divorce from Danny.
Despite the abrupt relationship change, Lisa and Danny remained very close and he went on to become her bass player in 2005. In 2000, Lisa broke off her engagement to rocker John Oszajca and after meeting Nicholas Cage, who she was married to from 2002 until 2004.
Riley Brought One Of MJ's Chimps To School
Lisa's older children, Ben and Riley, had quite the upbringing with all of their A-list stepfathers. They spent time on Michael Jackson's Neverland estate and got to play with his chimps and hang out with other famous children.
During an interview with James Corden, Riley casually mentioned that she brought one of Michael Jackson's chimps to school once! We can't imagine what it would be like to have classmates ogling over not only your famous family but also your famous chimp!
Priscilla Presley Dated Robert Kardashian
Priscilla had her fair share of relationships over the years, but she only ever married Elvis. One of her partners was Robert Kardashian, who she dated from 1975 to 1976. The lawyer went on to become the notorious lawyer of OJ Simpson and the father of the famous Kardashian sisters.
Priscilla's longest relationship lasted just over two decades. The lucky man was screenwriter and computer programmer Marco Garibaldi. They had a son together, Lisa Marie's half-brother, named Navarone in 1987. This means that Riley Keough has an uncle who is only two years older than her!
Riley Met Her Husband While He Was A Mad Max Stuntman
One of the more prominent movies that Riley made her way into was Mad Max: Fury Road. Riley played one of Immortan Joe's wives, and her future husband was a stuntman for the film.
The Australian daredevil is Ben-Smith Peterson, and the two began dating during re-shoots in his home country. Riley told USA Today that she could see herself marrying him only two weeks into their relationship. She said, "It was kind of like I knew I was meeting my husband. It was very cool."
Lisa Did A "Duet" With Her Father Elvis
Though Lisa was only nine-years-old when her father passed, she still managed to find a way to perform a professional duet with him later in life. In 2007, she recorded her father's song "In The Ghetto" and producers arranged their voices so they sound like a duet.
She made the arrangement to commemorate the 30th anniversary of her father's death, but also to benefit the new Presley Place in New Orleans. It was there that she filmed the music video, which also helped fund the organization.
Elvis And Priscilla Remained Close After Their Divorce
Priscilla and Elvis' split seemed intense at first. Elvis was so full of rage at her affair with Mike Stone that even his physician couldn't calm him down with medication. Eventually, the rocker came to his senses and accepted their separation.
Though Priscilla's lawyers did win her major financial compensation, she didn't want it to seem as though their marriage had been about money. The divorce was so cordial in the end that Elvis and Priscilla held hands as they walked out the courthouse.
Priscilla Prevented Graceland From Going Under
When Elvis passed away, Priscilla became the executor of his heir, their daughter Lisa Marie. The property expenses were so high that Lisa's inheritance would get eaten up if Priscilla didn't do something.
She decided to turn the estate into a tourist attraction. Priscilla became the chairwoman and president of Elvis Presley Enterprises, and under her guidance, the fortunes not only stopped dwindling, but they grew to new heights. She passed on her role to her daughter when Lisa Marie turned 21.
Lisa Collaborated With Pat Benatar
Considering her mother's business skills and her father's musical talent, it's no wonder Lisa Marie has been so successful at using her performances to fund causes. In 2003, she collaborated with rocker Pat Benatar to benefit the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.
They sang Pat's famous "Heartbreaker" together at the VH1 Diva Duets in Las Vegas. In 2006, Lisa collaborated with various musicians-- including Deborah Harry and The Red Hot Chili Peppers-- to stage a benefit concert for cancer research in honor of Johnny Ramone.
Lisa's First Concert Was Queen
Though Lisa's father was one of the most famous rock stars of all time, she didn't go to a rock concert until a year or so after he passed. Young Lisa saw the legendary rock group Queen at The Forum in Los Angeles.
Being that her father was Elvis, it's no wonder she got to meet the band after the show. Lisa even gave Freddie Mercury one of her dad's scarves as a token of her love for the band.
Elvis Named A Jet After His Daughter
In 1975, Elvis decided to refurbish one of his aircraft and name it after his daughter. The renovation cost a million dollars, but it was worth it to Elvis as he used the plane while on tour.
In later years, the Lisa Marie and another one of Elvis' aircraft, the Hound Dog II, was sold multiple times. Eventually, it landed back into the arms of Elvis Presley Enterprises and went on display at the Graceland tourist attraction.
