(Washington) The legacy of the “King” continues to hit the headlines: Elvis Presley’s granddaughter managed on Wednesday to temporarily block the sale of Graceland, the singer’s world-famous property in Memphis, a year after controversies surrounding from the will of the rock’n’roll icon’s daughter.
A judge in Tennessee, in the southern United States, ordered the suspension of the Graceland auction, at the request of representatives of actress Riley Keough, granddaughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley and daughter of the late Lisa Marie Presley.
The sale was supposed to take place on Thursday, but Riley Keough filed a lawsuit to prevent it.
The sale of the property, which has become a museum and an important place of pilgrimage for fans of the rock’n’roll legend, was requested by the company Naussany Investments & Private Lending, which assures that Lisa Marie Presley had put it up for sale. guarantee of a $3.8 million loan taken out with it in 2018.
But Riley Keough, 34, assures in his complaint filed in mid-May that these loan documents are fake.
The judge said he was suspending the sale until a trial rules on the authenticity of the documents.
This “property is considered unique under Tennessee law and, as such, its loss would be considered irreparable harm,” the judge said.
The decision was welcomed by Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc., which manages Graceland.
“The court has made it clear that the documents are invalid,” the company said in a statement. “There will be no sale.”
“Graceland will continue, as it has for 42 years, to ensure that Elvis fans from around the world enjoy a first-class experience when they visit this iconic home,” she added.
It was in this house that the famous singer was found unconscious in August 1977, before his death, at the age of 42, was pronounced in hospital shortly after.
Lisa Marie Presley, who was the heir to the “King”, died in January 2023.
Her will had been contested by her mother Priscilla Presley, who said she had been ousted for the benefit of her granddaughter Riley Keough without this change being presented to her during her daughter’s lifetime.
A compromise was found between the family parties in May 2023.