You may have heard recently on the news that Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley, passed away on 12th January 2023 at the age of 54.
She was the only child of Elvis and the sole heir to his estate.
It now appears that her mother, Priscilla, is contesting the validity of Lisa Marie Presley’s Will.
The court petition disputes an amendment to Lisa’s Will made in 2016 that effectively removed Priscilla as the estate trustee meaning she would no longer oversee her daughter’s assets. It is argued that this document misspelt Priscilla’s name and the signature on the document appeared unusual and not in line with Lisa’s usual signature. The signature was also not witnessed. Priscilla was only made aware of this after Lisa had passed away even though the terms of the trust required that she be notified of this change, which she wasn’t.
A further amendment also removed Lisa’s former business manager Barry Siegel from the trust and replaced him with her children Benjamin and Riley Keough.
Priscilla is currently contesting the Will, arguing that the 2016 Will be declared invalid which would mean the 2010 Will naming her and Riley as co-trustees of her daughter’s estate would take effect.
Whilst this is a case from across the Atlantic, it demonstrates a real-world example of the possible implications of not making sure your affairs are in order. Our recommendation is to always speak with a professional who can provide you with advice tailored to your circumstances, certainly for UK-based clients, a Member of The Society of Will Writers. To find a will writer nearby, visit our Find a Member page or contact our office to speak to us.
