As the “King” of rock ’n’ roll, Elvis Presley left behind quite the professional legacy. He had 18 No. 1 singles during his career and acted in more than 30 movies, becoming one of the most influential artists in history. More than 45 years after his death in 1977, his life and work continues to fascinate fans.
As for his family legacy, it’s a little more complicated. Elvis married Priscilla Presley on May 1, 1967, and the couple had one daughter, Lisa Marie. However, their divorce five years later and Elvis’ untimely death at age 42 would foreshadow the contentious and, at times, tragic history of his descendants.
Here’s what you need to know about the key members of the Elvis Presley family tree, including Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, and Riley Keough.
Priscilla Presley
Relation to Elvis: Ex-wife
Priscilla Ann Wagner was born May 24, 1945, in Brooklyn, New York. Following the death of her father only months later, her mother, Ann, remarried U.S. Air Force officer Paul Beaulieu in 1948. The family moved several times and was stationed in Germany when Priscilla met Elvis in 1959 and began a relationship with him at age 14. They married in 1967, had daughter Lisa Marie the next year, and were together until their separation and divorce in 1972. Priscilla also has one son, Navarone Garibaldi Garcia, from a separate relationship. (Garcia is the lead singer of synth rock band Them Guns.)
Priscilla became the executor of the Graceland estate in 1979 and is a successful businesswoman. She has acted—appearing on the soap opera Dallas in the 1980s and in the Naked Gun film series—published the best-selling memoir Elvis and Me in 1986, and also started a line of beauty products. Most recently, the 77-year-old has been in the news for her legal challenge against granddaughter Riley Keough for control of Graceland following Lisa Marie’s death earlier this year.
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Lisa Marie Presley
Relation to Elvis: Daughter
Lisa Marie Presley was Elvis and Priscilla’s only child; she was born on February 1, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. She moved to Los Angeles with her mother at age 4 when her parents divorced but split time with both of them up until Elvis’ death in 1977 when she was 9.
Lisa Marie dropped out of high school and went to rehab after abusing illegal drugs. There, she met her first of four husbands, musician Danny Keough. The pair married in 1988 and had two children; they divorced in 1994. Lisa Marie was also married to pop superstar Michael Jackson, actor Nicolas Cage, and music producer Michael Lockwood. She had twin daughters with Lockwood.
Like her father, Lisa Marie had a music career. Her first two albums in 2003 and 2005, respectively, debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 and were certified gold. She died at age 54 on January 25, 2023, after suffering cardiac arrest.
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Danny Keough
Relation to Elvis: Former son-in-law
Danny Keough, born November 6, 1964, is a musician and actor and the first husband of Elvis’ daughter, Lisa Marie. They met in 1985 when Lisa Marie was 20 years old and tied the knot three years later. The 58-year-old is the father of Lisa Marie’s oldest two children, Riley Keough and the late Benjamin Keough.
According to People, Danny and Lisa Marie remained on good terms following their 1994 divorce. He became her bassist during her music career and served as the best man at her wedding to her fourth husband, Michael Lockwood, in 2006. The two were even living together in a rented property at the time of Lisa Marie’s death, according to In Touch Weekly.
Riley Keough
Relation to Elvis: Granddaughter
Danielle Riley Keough, born May 29, 1989, is the eldest child of Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough. A former model for Christian Dior and Dolce and Gabbana, she has transitioned into a successful acting career.
Riley, 33, made her film debut in the 2010 musical biopic The Runaways and has since appeared in Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), American Honey (2016), Logan Lucky (2017), and Zola (2020). She also earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series for her role as Christine Reade on the Starz drama The Girlfriend Experience.
In 2023, Keough played the title character in the Amazon Prime Video series Daisy Jones & the Six. She is also involved in a legal battle with her grandmother Priscilla over control of the Graceland property following her mother’s death.
Benjamin Keough
Relation to Elvis: Grandson
Benjamin Storm Presley Keough, born October 21, 1992, was the second child of Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough. A musician, Benjamin signed a record deal with Universal in 2009 for $5 million, according to Variety, but never released any music under the agreement.
Benjamin died by suicide at age 27 on July 12, 2020, and is buried at Graceland. He was known for his physical resemblance to his superstar grandfather. Despite his family’s fame, he stayed relatively clear of the public eye. Following Benjamin’s death, his longtime friend Brandon Howard told People he “wasn’t a spoiled kid. He was very humble, very giving, very loving, especially to his friends.”
Michael Lockwood
Relation to Elvis: Former son-in-law
Michael Lockwood, born May 21, 1961, is a guitarist and producer who married Lisa Marie Presley on January 22, 2006. He was a member of the band Lions and Ghosts and went on to produce movie soundtracks and collaborate with artists like Aimee Mann, Carly Simon, and Fiona Apple.
Lisa Marie filed for divorce from Michael in June 2016, starting a years-long battle over custody of their twin daughters, Harper and Finley, as well as finances. According to the Daily Mail, Lisa Marie admitted to abusing cocaine over the final year of their marriage. The divorce was finalized in 2021.
Michael, 61, became the twins’ legal guardian in April 2023 following Lisa Marie’s death.
Finley and Harper Lockwood
Relation to Elvis: Granddaughters
Finley Aaron Love Lockwood, 14, and Harper Vivienne Anne Lockwood, 14, are the twin daughters of Lisa Marie and Michael Lockwood, born on October 7, 2008.
The two were caught in a vicious custody battle amid their parents’ divorce. They were placed in protective custody with their grandmother Priscilla after Lisa Marie’s legal team alleged Michael had “disturbing” images of children on his computer, according to People. Tennessee investigators closed their inquiry a year later, and the couple’s divorce was complete in 2021.
Along with half-sister Riley Keough, Finley and Harper are beneficiaries of Lisa Marie’s contested trust, which passed down control of the Graceland property.
Tyler Piccotti first joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor in February 2023, and before that worked almost eight years as a newspaper reporter and copy editor. He is a graduate of Syracuse University. When he's not writing and researching his next story, you can find him at the nearest amusement park, catching the latest movie, or cheering on his favorite sports teams.