Kim Scales, the family's long time friend revealed that Benjamin Keough had been struggling to keep up with the fame and reputation he was born into.
Only a week has passed since the loss of Elvis Presley's grandson, Benjamin Keough, hit the world. Benjamin's mother and Elvis' only daughter Lisa Marie Presley was left heartbroken after her son's tragic and untimely death. He was after all "the love of her life."
Benjamin was known to be a spitting image of his grandfather and with that came the pressure of holding up the family name at all times. In a recent discovery, Kim Scales, Lisa's friend, revealed that the 27-year-old felt being related to the family was a "curse." He shook the world by taking his own life.
Kim, 54, befriended Lisa and her kids when they resided in rural East Sussex. She recalled Benjamin as "a lovely lad, a sweet boy with a wicked sense of humor" revealed that growing up as a "Presley" wasn't as easy for Benjamin as it seemed. He struggled with the pressure of being his grandfather's look alike along with being his only grandson.
As reported by The Mirror, she said, “I know Ben struggled. It was tough being the grandson of someone more famous than God. You can’t get a normal job when you’re related to Elvis, you would have to get a different identity." Explaining his struggle further, she added, "You can’t live a normal life, walk down the street without someone bothering you. They had to live with that every day and it was hard."
Kim said that the Presleys weren't a fan of the chaotic Hollywood life and loved living a peaceful life in Sussex for six years. It was during this time that she got close to the family as they became a regular in The King’s Arms, the pub which was then run by her and her husband, Justin Scales, in Rotherfield.
While sharing a screenshot of the final text exchanged between Benjamin and herself three months before the tragedy, she revealed, “I hadn’t spoken to him for ages so I Instagram messaged him. He wrote back, ‘I miss you guys. We are doing well but Los Angeles is f***ing crazy and lockdown too. My mum says hello and misses you too.’"
Kim revealed that the conversation didn't project any idea that Benjamin was going to end up deciding to take his own life. She said, “That was April 6 and he sounded upbeat, not like someone about to do what he did. I’m devastated and so shocked at the way he did it. I can’t get it out of my head," as reported by The Mirror.
Recalling Benjamin's struggle with the unwanted fame, she said, “Ben once told me, ‘People think it’s wonderful being me but it’s also a curse because you can’t be who you want to be. You can’t be normal because you haven’t been born into a normal family.’ I know Ben was incredibly proud of his grandfather but he also found it heartbreaking being related to him because he never met him."
She also revealed that he doubted if he could live up to the name of his grandfather who was known as "The King."
“I know that when he got a record contract he said his music would never be like his grandfather’s. He looked so much like him as well. And that can’t have been easy,” Kim said.
The Scales grew really close to the Presleys over the time spent in The King’s Arms pub over fish and chips on most Fridays. Benjamin had celebrated his 18th birthday with the Scales, where he was also served his first legal drink. They also went on a holiday together as a family.
“I think they wanted to be normal, that is what it boils down to, and they liked us because we were ordinary working-class people," Kim said recalling the past. “In LA they would be recognized wherever they went. But in England, they could be anonymous and we treated them like we would anyone else. Ben was always upbeat and fun."
According to her, Benjamin was a different person when hanging out in the pub. She said, “...he was selective about who he would socialize with, he was a private boy. But in the pub, he always seemed happy. When we’d go out, we’d have a good time and a drink."
It's hard for Kim to believe that Benjamin is longer in this world. Struggling to believe the reports of his depression and drug issues, she said, “He was never addicted to drugs as far as I knew. It was recreational, he was like any normal teenager. At the pub, he would drink at a normal speed with everyone else. He really cared about his health," reported The Mirror.
Kim's husband Justin added, “They were normal people and they wanted to be treated as normal and that’s why they came to the UK. “The whole village protected them when they were here. I don’t know what this is going to do to Lisa Marie because Ben was the apple of her eye.”
Benjamin's body was found at the family house in Calabasas last Sunday night by his girlfriend, Diana Pinto, who he had been dating for two years. He died by a self-inflicted gun-shot.
References:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/elvis-tragic-grandson-ben-keough-22377564
