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Presley family unity questioned as Riley Keough skips graduation amid estate dispute settlement

''She's not going to control Riley.''
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Priscilla Presley claims “the Presley family is stronger than ever”, after she and granddaughter Riley Keough successfully settled their court dispute over Lisa Marie’s estate.

But onlookers couldn’t help but notice that Riley, 34, was a no-show at her 14-year-old twin half-sisters Harper and Finley Lockwood’s middle school graduation in LA on May 19, which Priscilla attended amid rumours all is not well between the famous family.

Keough alongside her late mother, Lisa Marie Presley, and her half-sisters, Harper and Finley.

(Image: Getty)

“There was no reason why Riley couldn’t be at the graduation, and missing out on such a public family occasion is sending out the wrong signals,” an insider tells Woman’s Day.

According to Priscilla – who successfully walked away with “millions” after settling with Riley over her late daughter Lisa Marie’s estate on May 16 – all is well and they’ve resolved everything, but that’s clearly not the case.

“What she means is she’s happy and that doesn’t mean Riley is,” our source tells. “There’s no doubt Riley had to back down – Priscilla’s lawyer outclassed hers and she wasn’t willing to put the family on the line for a bunch of money.”

Keough has been recently spotted in Italy at a Cartier event.

(Image: Getty)

BURYING THE IDEA

Priscilla, 77, lost on one count though. Her “wish” to be buried next to her late former husband Elvis at Graceland when she dies was denied at the hearing.

“Priscilla can play happy families all she likes, but she’s not going to control Riley,” the insider tells Woman’s Day. “Word is Riley was the one who tried to block Priscilla’s graveyard plans to shuffle around Elvis and her mum’s grave.”

Several members of the Presley family are buried at the King’s former home in Memphis, Tennessee, including his parents Gladys and Vernon, his daughter Lisa Marie and her son Benjamin Keough, who died in 2020 aged 27. And fans agree that Riley made the right call, especially as Priscilla and Elvis divorced four years before his untimely death in 1977.

“Good for Riley for pushing back on this,” wrote one in response to the ruling. “Why would exes be buried next to each other? Priscilla has been coasting off Elvis and his legacy for far too long.”

Members of the Presley family have been buried alongside one another in Graceland.

(Image: Getty)

Meanwhile, the Presley insider says Riley refuses to let the situation with Priscilla get in the way of her relationship with her half-siblings Harper and Finley.

“Riley didn’t completely abandon her sisters at their graduation – she’s planning a girls-only shopping vacation to Europe for the summer to celebrate,” says the source.

“But things are still very raw from that legal battle and the last thing she wanted to do was make things awkward for the girls. It was their day, not the Presley’s.”

And while Riley’s lawyer claimed she too is “happy” with the outcome of her settlement with her grandmother, the source tells Woman’s Day the Daisy Jones & The Six star’s real feelings are more complicated.

“Priscilla might have won this round, but Riley won’t forget just how ugly things did get between them,” says the family insider.

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