The Princess of Graceland: Lisa-Marie Presley

By Rachel Burt

Graceland, voted as one of the most iconic landmark places to visit in America, how would it feel if this were your home?  Graceland changed her life forever but did she develop a desire to leave her own legacy in the music world? 

Lisa-Marie Presley: Born in the Spotlight

Born famous and growing-up in the spotlight, the only daughter of the icon-legend Elvis Presley, Lisa-Marie Presley has had a long and interesting career in the music business. She has released several albums and videos ranging from country to blues. Also, she married the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. She is as real and straightforward as a person can be.  Lets take a look through the eyes of Lisa Marie Presley…

Growing up in Graceland

Despite its status, Graceland was and is a home to Lisa-Marie Presley. It was her childhood home and remains her home (as she is the only heir to the legacy her father left behind).  Although her father died when she was only nine years old, the home left a tremendous impact on her life…here is what she personally had to say about Graceland…

Her Interview in the U.S. Times:

"Graceland, it's got a very special energy there, when you go," says Lisa Marie. "It's like a time capsule: nothing's been changed or moved since 1977. It is like a time warp and the energy is still very much there. You can feel it,” she says. “It was such an incredible place to grow up."

Lisa Marie with her daughter Riley Keough (upper right)
and her mother Priscilla (lower right)

Just imagine growing up as a child with little privacy and music present in your life almost 24/7 in Graceland. "It was almost like a big playground for my father and everybody. It was my father's sanctuary, and he made it into such a special place. He made it into a home for a lot of people."

Later, after her father’s death, Graceland was turned into a tourist mecca (currently, one of the most visited places in the United States) and made into a national historic landmark.  But what many visitors do not know is that after visiting hours are over, it is still a home to the Preselys. "It shuts down quite nice at night…I have family that I love very much who live there in Memphis. We all have dinners there."

Will She Ever Sell It?

"Sometimes there are rumors about Graceland being sold," she says, "and that is NEVER going to happen.  Graceland was given to me and will always be mine and then passed to my children."

Marrying Michael Jackson

Have you ever heard the phrase, women are often attracted to men who resemble their father and vice versa? What could be more ironic than 10 years after her father’s death, Lisa Marie Presley fell in love with the next biggest music icon dubbed as the King of Pop: Michael Jackson? 

Lisa Marie Presley Marries the King of Pop, Michael Jackson

“What is interesting to me is just like growing up in Graceland, a playground and sanctuary to roam around in, Michael Jackson had a pretty interesting home himself,” says Lisa-Marie Presley in U.S. Times.

18 months after he died she was finally able to reveal some truth. "I didn't understand my relationship with him."

She says he was a master of manipulating the media. He demanded several times for the two to have a bay,; at the time, Lisa was just not positive it was a good Idea.  

“I did want to, but I just wanted to make sure," she says. Eventually Michael’s baby demands began to tear their relationship apart. “We would have three-day arguments, taking a break to eat or sleep,” says Lisa. After their divorce, Lisa found out that another woman was pregnant with Michaels’ kids. She says she was angry; she felt very close to Michael, and then it seemed he pushed her out and this happened. After he had passed away, she was able to see him for who he was and why he did what he did.

Looking back, she wonders if she could have saved her husband’s life.

"I know it's naive to think that I could have, but I wanted to," she admitted. "Had I made a call, had I stopped being so shut off from him, had I just said 'How are you?’ I really regret that I didn't."

But you cannot let regret take over your life. We all do the best we can at the time; retrospectively, we are all wiser. Also, as difficult (perhaps impossible) as it is to understand, some things happen for a reason. Losing both her father and husband, how does Lisa cope after these two blows?

Her Move To England

In 2011, Lisa moved to England, specifically to work on ”Storm & Grace," her latest album. She has decided to stay. After reading one of her interviews, it is obvious that moving to England had more meaning to it than that. It was a chance to start over again.

Here she quotes:

“I loved having a whole ’nother option in another country. We started from ground zero and we just build a life for ourselves. Simple, and in the country.”

Writing for her new album, taking care of her two twins, 4 year old daughters, with husband Michael Lockwood, what other way to start a new life?

Lisa-Marie Presley has been married four times, has four children, two young twins, and two older daughters, who are actresses and models now in their 20s. She has released her own albums, written her own music, and has had her share of hardships. Above all, she is a survivor, who has remained graceful and poised throughout it all.

Lisa-Marie Presley with her Mother, Prsicilla,
 her daughter Riley Keough, and her twins