Priscilla Presley And Riley Keough's Rocky Relationship Is Far From Mended

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Priscilla Presley's 2025 memoir, "Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis," is seemingly an homage to her family. And as much as Priscilla touts having a close clan, she ironically didn't acknowledge one prominent loved one in her book's dedication. Priscilla wrote a tribute to those she had lost, including daughter Lisa Marie Presley, grandson Benjamin Keough, her mom, and her ex-husband, the late Elvis Presley, per Globe. She added: "And to my beloved son, Navarone, who comforts me in their absence. I love you all tenderly, deeply, and eternally." However, notably missing from her list was her granddaughter, actor Riley Keough.

In fact, Priscilla failed to reference any of her granddaughters: Riley and her much younger half sisters, Harper Lockwood and Finley Lockwood. Although it seemed like the Elvis Presley Enterprises founder was solely paying homage to those she has lost, she included a message to her son, Navarone Garibaldi, who is alive.

Since Riley specifically has had a contentious past with her grandmother, the exclusion seems pointed. Indeed, it coincides with details about their relationship that have come to light. A letter from Riley to Priscilla was publicized after it was included in a September 2025 lawsuit from Priscilla's former business partners. Riley reportedly wrote of her 2023 legal woes with her grandmother (via Us Weekly): "It is really hurtful that after years of me trying to resolve your and my mother's broken relationship and restore our family, you are taking me, of all people, to court."

In 2023, Priscilla tried taking her granddaughter to court in 2023 over Elvis' Graceland estate, of which Riley is the sole beneficiary. Since then, both Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough have contested that they're locked in a family feud. In a joint statement from September 2025, Keough and Presley denied the many allegations that were made in a lawsuit from her former business partners, Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko — where Riley's letter was first revealed. "We are aware of the latest allegations from Brigitte Kruse. These claims are not only untrue but also deeply hurtful," they said, per People. "Our family is, and always has been, united in love and respect for one another."

Presley has been outspoken about her relationship with Keough, maintaining that the two have made amends. "Riley and I are very, very close," the "Naked Gun" actor claimed on a September 2025 episode of NBC's "Today" show. "In fact, we just spent time together the day before yesterday, and she's amazing, I mean she truly is. I love her to death." Keough echoed those sentiments in a 2024 episode of the "Dear Chelsea" podcast. "We're close. She's wonderful, we've been close my whole life," Keough told Chelsea Handler, despite noting the peculiarity of their legal battle.