Lisa Marie Presley death: Elvis Presley’s daughter dies aged 54 - what has the family said?

Lisa Marie had attended the Golden Globes this week
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Lisa Marie Presley, a singer and only child of Elvis, has died at the age of 54, her family has confirmed.

In a statement, the Presley family said they were “shocked and devastated” by the news, which was announced on Thursday (12 January). The US singer-songwriter was “rushed” for medical treatment earlier the same day, though no further details were made immediately available.

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It comes shortly after Lisa Marie attended the 80th annual Golden Globe awards on Tuesday (10 January), where actor Austin Butler took home the best actor award for his portrayal of her father. Speaking at a pre-ceremony event, she said she had been “overwhelmed” by the film and the effect that it had.

“I’m very proud and I know that my father would be very proud… I’m overwhelmed with gratitude,” she said. The official account of the Golden Globe awards, where Presley made her final public appearance, said she had been “a very welcome presence” at Tuesday’s event.

Here is all you need to know:

What has the Presley family said?

In a statement, shared with PA News Agency, the family said: “Priscilla Presley and the Presley family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Lisa Marie. They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time.”

US actress and singer Lisa Marie Presley has suddenly died at the age of 54. (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)US actress and singer Lisa Marie Presley has suddenly died at the age of 54. (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)
US actress and singer Lisa Marie Presley has suddenly died at the age of 54. (Photo by CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images)

On Thursday, her mother, Priscilla, said she had been receiving “the best care” in hospital, and asked for fans to keep the family in their prayers.

Tributes pour in for Lisa Marie

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Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were among the famous faces sending their condolences to the family of “gracious” Lisa Marie Presley following her death. Celebrities including Pink, John Travolta, and Diane Warren, all paid tribute to the US singer-songwriter, describing her as “one of a kind” and “smart as a whip, sensitive, (and) talented”.

In an Instagram post on behalf of the couple, Wilson recalled spending time with Presley and her family during the film’s promotional tour last year. “Our hearts are broken with the sudden and shocking passing of Lisa Marie Presley tonight,” she wrote in the lengthy post.

“Tom and I had spent some time with the family during the Elvis movie promotional tour. Lisa Marie was so honest and direct, vulnerable, in a state of anticipation about the movie. She spoke so eloquently about her father, what the movie meant to her, that it was a celebration of her dad. She had her gorgeous daughters Finley and Harper with her who made us all laugh.”

Wilson said Presley had been “gracious” enough to show her round Graceland – the mansion where her father lived in Memphis, Tennessee. “Our hearts and our prayers go out to Riley, Harper, Finley , Danny and Priscilla,” she said.

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“A mother should never have to lose a child. Lisa Marie lost her precious son Benjamin, Priscilla loses her only daughter. It’s too much. Sending love to the family, prayers for peace and strength. Love, Rita and Tom.”

Lisa Marie followed in her father’s footsteps

Following in the footsteps of her father, Presley pursued a career in the music industry, releasing three albums; To Whom It May Concern in 2003, Now What in 2005, and Storm & Grace in 2012. In 2018, she featured on a new record, titled Where No One Stands Alone, which was released to celebrate her father’s love of gospel music, and featured 14 original performances recorded by him.

The title track was a reimagined duet, in which Lisa Marie dueted with her father – who died at the age of 42 in 1977. Days before her death, she visited Graceland, the mansion owned by her father in Memphis, Tennessee, to celebrate his birthday of 8 January.

Lisa Marie successfully ran The Elvis Presley Trust

Upon her father’s death, at the age of nine-years-old, she became the joint heir to his estate, with her grandfather, Vernon Presley, and her great-grandmother, Minnie Mae Hood Presley. In 1993, when she turned 25 she took full control of the estate and formed The Elvis Presley Trust, to continue its successful management.

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Last year, Presley penned an essay published by US publication People about “the horrific reality” of her grief following her son Benjamin Keough’s death by suicide in 2020. “I’ve dealt with death, grief and loss since the age of 9 years old. I’ve had more than anyone’s fair share of it in my lifetime and somehow, I’ve made it this far,” she wrote in August.

The singer was married four times, first to musician Danny Keough, then singer Michael Jackson, actor Nicolas Cage, and music producer Michael Lockwood.

More to follow.

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