Introduction
Riley Keough Opens Up About Her Family’s Heartbreak: Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie & Michael Jackson
Riley Keough, the granddaughter of legendary Elvis Presley, recently had an emotional conversation with Oprah Winfrey where she opened up for the first time about the profound losses and memories within her family. During the interview, Riley spoke about her late mother, Lisa Marie Presley — who had been working on a memoir before her passing. Out of love and respect, Riley decided to finish the book to preserve her mother’s legacy.
When Oprah brought up Lisa Marie’s unique marriage to Michael Jackson, Riley couldn’t hide her emotions. She shared that her mother had been deeply fascinated with Michael and would always get excited and rush to get dressed whenever he came to visit. Oprah then played a recording of Lisa Marie speaking about Michael, describing him as a deeply compassionate person who always made others feel seen and appreciated. Hearing her mother’s voice brought Riley to tears — not because of the words, but because of the emotions attached to them.
The conversation also touched on Lisa Marie’s deep bond with her father, Elvis Presley. In the memoir, Lisa Marie described her childhood image of her father as a powerful, larger-than-life figure and the immense pain of losing him. Riley also opened up about the tragic death of her brother, Benjamin Keough, who took his own life in 2020. One heartbreaking revelation from the memoir was that their mother kept Benjamin’s body at home for two months, as California law did not require immediate burial.
The interview went beyond personal memories — it reflected the painful journey of a famous family that has endured tremendous love and loss, while showing incredible strength through sorrow.