Introduction
Riley Keough Reveals Secrets of Graceland’s Upstairs in Lisa Marie Presley’s Upcoming Memoir
In 2024, Riley Keough — granddaughter of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley — will take the public inside one of the most sacred and private areas of Graceland: the upstairs, where Elvis lived and passed away. As co-author of the upcoming memoir From Here to the Great Unknown, left unfinished by her mother Lisa Marie Presley, Riley will unveil deeply personal, and at times painful, family memories that have never been shared before.
One of the most striking revelations centers on Elvis’s private bedroom at Graceland — a space strictly off-limits to the public. The bedroom, a small office, and Lisa Marie’s childhood room remain untouched since the day Elvis died in 1977. Riley revealed that Elvis kept piles of books next to his bed — mostly Bibles and religious texts — reflecting his constant spiritual search. Lisa Marie once said, “The upstairs is the only place I’ve ever felt truly safe.”
While Elvis’s bold red-black-gold décor sparked debate among fans, it was a pure expression of his flamboyant style. Later, Priscilla Presley redesigned most of the downstairs to be more public-friendly, restoring the white carpets and blue drapes when Graceland was opened to visitors in 1982.
Few know that Graceland was almost never opened to the public. In the early stages, Priscilla worked with businessman Morgan Maxfield — rumored to be her fiancé at the time — to prepare for the opening. Tragically, Maxfield died in a plane crash in 1981. Priscilla had been scheduled to be on that flight but canceled last-minute, narrowly escaping death at age 36. Determined to honor Elvis’s legacy, she refused to sell the estate and instead moved forward with opening it to the public. With the help of Jack Soden, who became CEO, Graceland finally opened 10 months later and has since welcomed over 20 million visitors.
Now the sole heir and trustee of Graceland, Riley is actively preserving the Presley legacy. After hosting the successful 2023 Elvis Christmas Special, she took on the responsibility of completing her mother’s memoir using Lisa Marie’s private audio recordings. The book shares vivid, emotional stories — from childhood adventures at Graceland to her marriages, struggles with addiction, and motherhood.
Lisa Marie’s memoir, finished by Riley, will be published by Random House on October 15, 2024, and is set to offer an intimate, unfiltered glimpse into the Presley family’s extraordinary and often tragic story.