"If she felt that something wasn't in Elvis' best interest, it was never about money," the Elvis Enterprises executive, Joel Weinshanker said about Lisa Marie Presley.
The managing partner at Elvis Presley Enterprises is clearing the air about what Lisa Marie Presley would have wanted for the future of Graceland. "Lisa couldn't be bought," said Joel Weinshanker during an appearance on Sirius XM's Elvis Radio."Everyone knew that when Elvis passed away, he left everything to his little girl. He did so knowing that she would be the one to keep his legacy going," Weinshanker said.
The estate was left to Lisa Marie in trust when she was only nine years old. On her 25th birthday, she got her full ownership of the home in 1993 after which she formed The Elvis Presley Trust to manage the property alongside her mother, Priscilla Presley, and the National Bank of Commerce. Now, the King of Rock and Roll's iconic estate will be going to Lisa Marie’s three daughters— Riley Keough, 33, and twins Harper Vivienne Ann and Finley Aaron Love, 14. Lisa Marie's will stated that her trust — which included Elvis' Graceland property and 15 percent ownership of Elvis' estate — would be left to her three daughters.
However Lisa Marie's mother Priscilla is legally challenging an alleged amendment removing her as co-trustee of Lisa Marie's trust. The 77-year-old has gone to court to declare the allegedly fraudulent 2016 amendment invalid and listed several reasons why it could be a fraud. After her daughter's death on January 12, Priscilla “discovered” a disputed document seeking to remove her and former business manager, Barry Siegel, as co-trustees of her daughter’s Promenade Trust.
Weinshanker had nothing but kind words for Elvis' late daughter. And in his mind, it's clear that she would have wanted the property to go to her oldest daughter. "We got along so well because we were both trying to do what was best for Elvis, regardless of what somebody else was trying to do, regardless of what a family member would do," he said. He assured the host that no amount of money could persuade Lisa Marie to change her mind.
"Lisa couldn't be pushed. If she felt that something wasn't in Elvis' best interest, it was never about money. And she really is the only Presley that you could say that about," he added.
Weinshanker said he and Lisa Marie discussed her legacy "many many times [before] she passed, and that was always Riley and Ben," he said of her kids Riley Keough and Benjamin Keough, whom she shared with ex-husband Danny Keough. "There was never a question in her mind that they would be the stewards, that they would look at it the exact same way that she did. And obviously, when Ben passed, it really sat with Riley."
As her 55th birthday passed, Weinshanker reminded fans to celebrate Lisa Marie's birthday by honoring "her words." And though her death is painful to all those who knew and loved her, he said "the best years of Graceland are ahead of us."
References:
https://www.siriusxm.com/channels/elvis-radio
Cover Image Source: Getty Images (L) Photo by Jason Kempin | (R) Photo by Neilson Barnard
