Riley Keough and Priscilla Presley are ready to put their family drama behind them and move forward with unity and togetherness. The two have been involved in an intense legal battle ever since Lisa Marie Presley – Riley’s mother and Priscilla’s daughter – passed away on January 12, 2023 at 54 years old.
At the time of her death, Riley was given control of the trust after an amendment was filed by Lisa Marie in 2016. The amendment replaced Priscilla and Barry Siegel (Lisa Marie’s former business manager) with Riley and her brother, Benjamin Keough (who died of suicide in 2020). That’s when drama started.
Days after Lisa Marie’s memorial service, Priscilla filed a petition that questioned the authenticity and validity of the 2016 amendment – arguing that she was never made aware of it until after her daughter passed away. The granddaughter-grandmother duo have been going back-and-forth in court ever since.
On May 16 (Tuesday), Riley Keough and Priscilla Presley put an end to their legal battle when they agreed to a settlement. While the specifics of that settlement have yet to be revealed, it appears to be one that everyone stands to benefit from – considering both sides were happy and content with the outcome.
“Riley is relieved to have settled the dispute over her mom’s estate. She doesn’t want any drama with her grandmother. She was hoping they could reach a settlement quickly,” one source close to the situation told PEOPLE on Wednesday. Riley was recently photographed in Vancouver getting a cup of coffee.
The source added that Riley is still grieving her mother – a process that hasn’t been easy for her – but is ready to ‘focus on making memories with her own daughter now,’ calling it her ‘priority.’ Riley Keough secretly welcomed her first child – a beautiful daughter – with husband Ben Smith-Petersen in 2022.
On Tuesday, after the settlement was reached, Priscilla’s lawyer confirmed that ‘everyone is happy’ and that the family is now ‘unified and together and excited for the future.’ Riley’s lawyer went on to confirm that she wouldn’t have agreed to the settlement ‘if she was not happy with it’ – officially ending the drama.
Riley Keough Committed to Being a Good Mother
Riley Keough has been married to Ben Smith-Petersen since February 2015, but the couple are just now becoming parents – welcoming their first child in 2022 after seven years of marriage. While the birth came just months before the tragic passing of Lisa Marie Presley, the couple are moving forward with love.
The couple first announced the birth of their daughter during a tribute speech at Lisa Marie’s memorial service – Smith-Petersen was reading the tribute on behalf of his wife. This came just one day before Priscilla filed the petition that questioned the authenticity and validity of the 2016 amendment to the trust.
“I hope I can love my daughter the way you loved me, the way you loved my brother and my sisters. Thank you for giving me strength, my heart, my empathy, my courage, my sense of humor, my manners, my temper, my wildness, my tenacity,” the tribute read, adding that Riley is a product of Lisa Marie’s heart.
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Fans are still waiting to learn more about the settlement that was reached between Priscilla and Riley, but are glad to know the family is on the same page again after months of court proceedings. It’s presumed that Lisa Marie’s twins – Harper Vivienne Ann and Finley Aaron Love – are beneficiaries of the trust.
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