Introduction
Riley Keough Opens Up About Graceland’s Secrets and Her Vision for the Presley Legacy
For decades, Elvis Presley’s Graceland has been a place of mystery, history, and deep emotion. While millions of fans have walked its halls, the most private part of the mansion — the upstairs — has always been off limits. Now, Elvis’s granddaughter, Riley Keough, is revealing why that will never change and how she plans to carry her family’s legacy into the future.
After Elvis’s passing in 1977, his daughter Lisa Marie Presley insisted the second floor remain untouched. It was where she had spent cherished childhood moments with her father — and where she was the night he died. For Lisa Marie, those rooms were sacred, a space filled with memories too personal for public eyes. Even when Graceland opened to visitors in 1982, the upstairs was never included in tours.
Now, as the sole trustee of Graceland following her mother’s passing, Riley has vowed to uphold that promise. Elvis’s bedroom, bathroom, wardrobe room, and Lisa Marie’s childhood room remain exactly as they were, frozen in time. Privacy, preservation, and respect for Elvis’s memory take priority over public curiosity.
Riley’s role goes far beyond guarding the upstairs. As the new matriarch of the Presley family, she oversees the estate, Elvis Presley Enterprises, and family traditions. In 2023, she hosted and produced Christmas at Graceland, blending the holiday warmth she remembers from childhood with the magic of Elvis’s legacy.
Her vision is to keep Graceland both a living home and a world-renowned landmark. She wants visitors to feel its heart, not just see its history. Beyond the mansion, Riley continues her family’s philanthropic work, especially through Presley Place in Memphis, supporting families in need.
Balancing business, heritage, and personal memories isn’t easy, but Riley embraces the challenge. For her, Graceland is more than a tourist destination — it’s the soul of her family. And she’s determined to protect it, just as her mother and grandfather did, for generations to come.