Lisa Marie Presley's Kids Were Forbidden From Going To Elvis' 85th Birthday Party

May 18, 2021 by apost team

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide that may be troubling for some readers.

Elvis Presley was a superstar in the truest sense of the word — he was a talented musician and performer with a larger-than-life persona. Having passed away over 45 years ago on Aug. 16, 1977, he is still remembered by his fans and family, who honor him in various ways.

Each year fans mourn the icon in many ways and on various occasions, such as his birthday, which takes place on Jan. 8, or the date on which he passed away. Much of the commemorations for the king take place at his former home, famously known as "Graceland," which features all kinds of history. 

Sadly, on the occasion of Elvis' 85th birthday in 2020, his late daughter Lisa Marie Presley wasn't able to have two of her children attend the commemoration plans the family had made, despite her wishes to have them there. Locked in a bitter divorce with her estranged husband, Michael Lockwood, he made it clear that he didn't want their then-11-year-old twin daughters Harper and Finley to attend. 

As the couple had an agreement in which both parents must sign off on travels, he forbade them to go to the 85th birthday celebration of their famous grandfather by refusing to sign off on their attendance, which even led Lisa Marie's legal team to contest his decision in court. Unfortunately, the court found the incident was not an emergency and therefore rejected it. Let's take a look at the incident and why Lockwood might not have wanted to let his daughters attend their grandfather's 85th birthday celebration. 

Lisa Marie Presley was the only daughter of Elvis Presley, which means that her children — she had four in total, but only three are surviving — are his only grandchildren. Tragically, Lisa, passed away at the age of 54 on Jan. 12, 2023. According to TMZ sources close to the scene, Lisa was pronounced dead after she was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital, where she was taken after suffering cardiac arrest that morning. 

Lisa Marie had a daughter, Riley Keough and a late son Benjamin Keough, both of whom she had with her ex-husband Danny Keough. The daughter of Elvis had two other kids — 14-year-old twins Harper and Finley, whom she shared with her estranged husband Michael Lockwood. 

Often involved in commemorating her father's life during her own, it was only natural that Lisa Marie wanted her children, who are Elvis' grandchildren, to join in the celebrations for what would have been his 85th birthday. Her desire to have her two youngest kids attend the celebration was blocked by Lockwood, according to People. As per the custody agreement Lockwood had with Lisa Marie, both parents were required to sign off on the kind of travel that was needed for the girls to attend, and Lockwood exercised his rights by forbidding his daughters to attend. 

Naturally, their mother wasn't happy about this, and the day before Elvis' 85th birthday celebration was set to take place, her legal team attempted to compile emergency documents that would let Harper and Finley attend. However, to their dismay, the situation wasn't considered an "emergency" and therefore, the case was dismissed. 

Unfortunately, it wasn't smooth sailing for the former couple in the years following their split. Marrying in 2006, Lockwood and Lisa Marie were together for 10 years before ending things in 2016. They both appeared to want as much time as possible with their twin girls, so perhaps the move by Lockwood was rather personal. 

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It wasn't the first time the couple hit a rough patch regarding custody disputes either — the former couple had a history of other such situations. And it seemed their time in court wasn't over either, as they continued to attend hearings related to custody agreements and child support even after the 85th birthday celebration. Sadly, though, the special birthday celebration for the twins' grandfather, which took place in Memphis, Tennessee, was a one-off event, and therefore they missed out.

Tragically, it's not the only sadness the Presley family endured in the last few years. In July 2020, Lisa Marie's only son Benjamin, who was 27 years old, took his own life. As one can imagine, the news was devastating to the whole family. According to People magazine, Roger Widynowski, Lisa Marie's rep, said at the time:

"She is completely heartbroken, inconsolable and beyond devastated but trying to stay strong for her 11-year-old twins and her oldest daughter Riley. She adored that boy. He was the love of her life."

Benjamin's grandmother and Elvis' ex-wife Priscilla Presley also wrote a heartbreaking post on Facebook discussing her family's loss:

"These are some of the darkest days of my family’s life. The shock of losing Ben has been devastating. Trying to put all the pieces together of all the possible whys has penetrated my soul. Each day I wake up I pray it will get better. Then, I think of my daughter and the pain she is going through as she was a doting mother. ... Rest In Peace Ben, you were loved. ❤️" 

Following Lisa Marie's tragic passing in January 2023, her mother, Priscilla, said in a statement to TMZ that they were "shocked" and "devastated" by the tragic death of her daughter. They are also "profoundly grateful" for the support, love and prayers of their fans and were seeking privacy during the rather difficult time. 

Lisa was survived by her mother, Priscilla, and her three living children, Riley, Harper and Finley. 

What do you think about the twins' father not allowing them to attend Elvis' 85th birthday celebrations? If you found this article interesting, then be sure to pass this on to those you know.

If you or anybody you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, please call Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit befrienders.org to find your local suicide prevention hotline. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals.