Lisa Marie Presley sadly passed away on January 12, 2023 at just 54 years old. New details are emerging of her final months, with insiders saying the singer was overwhelmed with the runup to the Golden Globe awards and stressed out about being seen in public. According to TMZ, Presley felt comfortable during the COVID-19 lockdowns because she could leave her house in a mask, secure in the knowledge people wouldn’t be able to recognize her. Now new details are emerging about her life over the past three years, and why the thought of appearing in public was so upsetting to the star. Here’s what sources tell TMZ.
She Wanted To Be Anonymous
Joe Seer/ShutterstockPresley was understandably overwhelmed by grief when her son Benjamin died in 2020. According to TMZ, Presley felt better able to grieve in privacy because of the protective mask she wore on the few occasions she left the house. Although she spent most of 2021 and 2022 away from the public eye, Presley knew she would be the center of attention once the new Elvis movie came out.
The Golden Globes Pressure Was Allegedly Overwhelming
Extra TV/YouTubePanic about her appearance at the awards ceremony may have sparked a crash diet, according to TMZ. The singer lost approximately 50 pounds in the run-up to the awards, and one family member isn’t holding back about the stress Presley was reportedly under. "Were it not for the Golden Globes, Lisa might be alive today," the source tells TMZ.
Presley Reportedly Had Serious Financial Issues
ShutterstockLegal documents obtained by The Blast show Presley was spending upwards of $92,000 a month. This included $23,500 in rent payments and $1,078 for her Maserati payments. She also had $95,266 in cash assets and $714,775 invested in stocks and bonds. Presley also reportedly owed $1.8 million to the IRS, according to court documents filed in Los Angeles Court as part of divorce proceedings between Presley and her fourth husband Michael Lockwood, the father of her 14-year-old twins Finlay and Harper.
Family Infighting Over Presley’s Will
ShutterstockPresley left Graceland to daughter Riley Keough and twins Finlay and Harper. Elvis was worth just $5 million when he died, but Presley set up Elvis Presley Enterprises and made Graceland a profitable tourist attraction. Now Presley’s mother, Priscilla, is contesting the trust, something Keough is reportedly upset about. "Riley wants to keep the family together and keep Lisa Marie's legacy in a positive light, but she feels that her grandmother's actions are pushing the family apart even more," a source tells ET. "It's upsetting to her as she does want to have a relationship with Priscilla, but at this point in time they are not close."
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Elvis Presley Enterprises Backs Keough
Shutterstock"When Elvis passed away, he left everything to his little girl,” says Joel Weinshanker, a Managing Partner at Elvis Presley Enterprises. “He did so knowing that she would be the one to keep his legacy going. I can tell you that [Lisa Marie] has, without falter, no matter what else was happening in her life, in her career, always been the one to look at what was best for Elvis... regardless of what somebody else was trying to do, regardless of what another family member [was trying to] do."
Presley Knew Exactly What She Was Doing
Shutterstock"We just want to think about what Lisa would've wanted and that's what's best for Elvis. She never had a doubt in her mind that that's Riley," Weinshanker continued. "There's no question on anyone's mind [because] Lisa had spoken [about] it, there's numerous amounts of written information, she had talked to so many of her friends about it. There was never a question, and anybody who's speaking differently isn't looking out for Elvis, isn't looking out for Lisa, certainly isn't looking out for Riley."
Priscilla Presley Defends Herself
ShutterstockPresley’s mother hit back without specifically naming names. "I loved Elvis very much as he loved me. Lisa is a result of our love," Priscilla Presley said. "For anyone to think anything differently would be a travesty of the family legacy and would be disrespectful of what Elvis left behind in his life. There is an individual that bought their way into the family enterprise that is trying to speak on behalf of our family. This person is not a representative of Elvis or our family. Please allow us the time we need to work together and sort this out. Please ignore 'the noise.' As I have always been there for Elvis' legacy, our family and the fans, I will continue to forge a pathway forward with respect, honesty, dignity, integrity and love."