The late singer, Lisa Marie Presley, described herself as a ferociously protective mom to her children. They were always her priority, and nothing could ever take away that spot from them. And she also smothered them with so much love, keeping them close to her to ensure they were happy and healthy.
She had four of them. First, she welcomed Riley and her late son Benjamin with Danny Keough. She met Keough when she was 17, at a rehab facility in West Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.
Aside from being in the same place simultaneously, the two bonded over music. They dated for three years before exchanging vows in an intimate ceremony with Lisa Marie’s mom, Priscilla, and eight other people as witnesses.
Presley left Keough in 1994 and married Michael Jackson 20 days after their divorce was finalized. They didn’t have any children together and ultimately split in 1996.
Five years later, she broke off her three-year engagement with singer-songwriter John Ozcaja and jumped into a relationship with actor Nicolas Cage. The two tied the knot in 2002 and had a short-lived marriage, separating after only three months. They didn’t have children as well.
Then, in 2006, she married music producer Michael Lockwood in Kyoto, Japan, with Keough and their children in attendance. Two years later, Presley and Lockwood introduced their twin daughters, Harper and Finley. Unfortunately, their marriage didn’t make it to happily ever after, and they decided to go their own paths in 2016.
Now, it’s time to meet Lisa Marie’s kids one by one.
Danielle Riley Keough
Lisa Marie Presley welcomed her firstborn, Danielle Riley, with her first husband, Danny Keough, on May 29, 1989. While she’s a Presley by blood, which could sometimes overshadow a lot about her, she shared that growing up with her mom and grandmother allowed her to shine as her own person. They introduced her to him, but he wasn’t a big deal in their household.
At 15, Riley started modeling and walked the runways of luxury brands Dolce & Gabbana and Christian Dior. She also graced the covers of Vogue, Elle, Jalouse, and L’Officiel. But the Presley blood was definitely strong in her. Just like his grandfather, Elvis, she pursued a career in acting.
She made her film debut at 20, playing the supporting role of Marie Currie in the musical biopic, “The Runaways,” which was based on the all-girl rock band from the ‘70s of the same name. Five years later, she starred in her very first big-budget release film, “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
However, what really opened opportunities for her was her 2016 breakthrough role in the anthology series The Girlfriend Experience. Her portrayal of an escort earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress.
After that, she spiced up her acting resume with more nominations and awards, including a Best Supporting Actress nomination from the Independent Spirit Award for “American Honey” (2016) and a Primetime Emmy Award for Daisy Jones & the Six (2023).
In May 2022, she made her directorial debut, co-directing “War Pony” with Gina Gammell. It was at the Cannes Film Festival.
Riley Keough is married to Australian stuntman Ben Smith-Petersen, and they welcomed their first child via surrogate, Tupelo Storm, last August 2022. She has recently denounced affiliation with the Church of Scientology, where she was raised.
Benjamin Storm Keough
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Three years after welcoming Riley, the couple celebrated the arrival of their second child, Benjamin Storm. Benjamin was born on October 21, 1992, and bore quite a striking resemblance to his grandfather. So, it wasn’t surprising at all that he also went into acting. Some of his more well-known works as an actor included “Elvis by the Presleys” (2005) and “Rod & Barry” (2017).
In July 2020, Benjamin committed suicide in Calabasas, California. He was only 27.
Benjamin’s friend, Brandon Howard, shared with PEOPLE that the actor struggled with depression, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when everybody was locked down inside their homes. One of the most impactful sources of this was the “pressure” to live up to the Presley name – to be a musician and an actor.
He also added how Benjamin was always that one person who always showed up for everybody. No matter what (or how bad) the situation was, he was there to get you through it, even if that meant crashing on the couch to keep you company until you felt better.
According to Lisa Marie Presley’s rep, the singer was completely heartbroken and devastated following the news of his passing. She cherished him so much, and he was the love of her life.
Then, in October 2020, he was finally laid to rest at Graceland, the family’s estate in Memphis, Tennessee. He was the fifth Presley buried on the grounds. On his 28th birthday, Lisa Marie opened up about mourning the loss of her only son.
She wrote, “My heart and soul went with you. The depth of the pain is suffocating and bottomless without you every moment of every day.”
His older sister, Riley, also shared a sweet message for him on the two-month anniversary of his death, saying she would give anything just for one more minute with him. In August 2022, she paid tribute to him by naming her daughter after him.
Harper Vivienne Anne and Finley Aaron Love Lockwood
On October 7, 2008, Lisa Marie Presley and her fourth and then-husband Michael Lockwood finally met their fraternal twin daughters, Harper Vivienne Anne and Finley Aaron Love. Their grandmother, Priscilla Presley, was also there to welcome them into the world.
Members of the Presley family actually inspired the twins’ middle names. That is because Elvis’ middle name was Aaron, while his wife Priscilla’s was Ann. Lisa Marie also borrowed Love from her grandmother, Gladys Presley.
The girls were 8 when their mom filed for divorce. They were caught in a tough custody battle. The Department of Child and Family Services placed them into protective custody after Lisa Maire’s team allegedly found “disturbing photos” of children on his computer. After that, they were turned over to their grandmother while investigations were underway for the case.
In October 2017, Lisa Marie and her three girls stepped out to attend the ELLE Women in Hollywood. It was the very first time that the singer attended a public event with Riley and the twins.
Three years later, at the start of the pandemic, Lisa Marie and her twins started fostering rescue puppies. The three of them loved posting photos with their furballs on Instagram.
The Death of Lisa Marie Presley
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Lisa Marie Presley died in January 2023, two days after attending the Golden Globes Award. The singer reportedly collapsed at her home in Calabasas, California, and EMTs immediately responded and administered CPR. She was then transported to a local hospital, where she passed away. Her mother, Priscilla, confirmed the devastating news.
The autopsy report later revealed that the singer died of a small bowel obstruction caused by adhesions that developed after her bariatric surgery years prior.
She was laid to rest next to her son, Benjamin, and a memorial service was done on the front lawn of the iconic Graceland on January 22. Priscilla gave her eulogy, while Riley’s was delivered by her husband, Smith-Petersen.
In Lisa Marie’s will, she left her trust to her three daughters, including Graceland, and fifteen percent ownership of Elvis’ estate. Priscilla contested the “authenticity and validity” of the will, asking the court to honor the 2010 amendment, making her and her former business manager, Barry Siegel, co-trustees.
After two months, Priscilla and her granddaughter Riley settled, and both sides were reportedly happy with the agreement.
Riley was named the sole trustee of Lisa Marie Presley’s estate and received the proceeds from her mother’s life insurance policy. Court documents also showed that she paid her grandmother $1 million in lump sum and an additional $400,000 for legal fees. Aside from that, the court approved that she presides over her mom’s twin children, Finley and Harper’s sub-trusts.