Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is opening up about her special friendship with Lisa Marie Presley. ET's Rachel Smith spoke with the duchess at Alice's Tea Cup in New York, where she shared how her late friend helped her in a "dark moment."
Yet the Mail can reveal that, little known to the outside world, their friendship was not a fickle showbiz one but a relationship built over more than 15 years, born of deep trust and support. 'They hit it off on all sorts of levels,' a friend of the Duchess told me last week. 'She talks of them bonding like sisters.
They grew close and kept in touch even when Lisa Marie moved back to the United States.” The friend also shared that Presley was “one of the few people who reached out to [Ferguson] during some of her difficult times,” and that Fergie, in turn, thought of the late singer as “family”.
Sarah Ferguson was one of the high-profile mourners at Lisa Marie Presley's funeral in Memphis, Tennessee on Sunday. Sarah, Duchess of York not only attended the moving ceremony, but also spoke to the crowd about her late friend, who she called "Sissy".
“My heart is completely shattered for Riley, Finley, Harper and Priscilla at the tragic and unexpected loss of Lisa Marie,” Butler said in January 2023 after Lisa Marie's death, referring to the late star's daughters Riley Keough and twins Finley and Harper.
Tributes to the late Lisa Marie Presley have been pouring in, including from family friend John Travolta. He honored her with an Instagram post, writing in part, "Lisa baby girl, I'm so sorry.
Among those who participated in the public memorial service at Elvis Presley's mansion in Memphis, Tenn., were musicians Billy Corgan, Alanis Morissette and Axl Rose, as well as Priscilla Presley. The ceremony was livestreamed on Vimeo and is still available to watch on the platform.
Ferguson, 63, spoke at Presley's Graceland memorial service on Sunday in an effort to "celebrate the extraordinary Lisa Marie" at an event full of her closest loved ones.
Rose went on to say that she actually wanted him to play it at the service. “Yes, it was my understanding she had actually talked about, if the situation… So that's why I was asked to do it. So of course I had to be here,” the singer added.
According to the estate's official website, Graceland was left to Lisa Marie in trust when she was just 9 years old. The trust officially dissolved in 1993 upon her 25th birthday when she took full ownership of the home.
Lisa Marie Presley's Ex Michael Lockwood 'Forced His Way Into' Her Funeral 'With Priscilla's Help': He 'Was Not Invited' Lisa Marie Presley would have been extremely upset if she knew her ex-husband Michael Lockwood was in attendance at her funeral, a friend of the late singer revealed.
Lisa Marie welcomed daughter Riley and son Benjamin with her ex-husband Danny Keough, whom she was married to from 1988 to 1994. In 2008, she welcomed twin daughters Harper and Finley with then-husband Michael Lockwood, though the two divorced in 2016.
Lisa Marie Presley and Sarah Ferguson had a close bond. The Duchess of York and Elvis and Priscilla Presley's only daughter had a friendship that spanned over a number of years, beginning when the singer lived in England with her then-husband, Michael Lockwood. "The two hit it off from the beginning.
Elvis Presley and BB King were friends for many years. They first met in 1955, when Elvis was just starting out in his career, and BB was already an established musician. They bonded over their shared love of music, and remained friends until Elvis' untimely death in 1977.
Among those paying their respects was Bill Murray, then an up and coming comedian on Saturday Night Live.
As the sole trustee, Keough will be the owner of Graceland. In exchange for Priscilla's resignation as a trustee, Keough will pay Priscilla a lump sum and reimbursement of legal fees up to $400,000. Priscilla will serve as a "Special Advisor to the Trust" and will be compensated monthly by Keough.
Did Ginger Alden Attend Elvis' Funeral? Yes. As his fiancée at the time, it is believed that Ginger Alden was present for Elvis' funeral. Following the funeral, however, she was reportedly banned from Graceland by Presley's family and had to receive permission to visit his grave.
After Lisa Marie's death in 2023, Graceland and her trust were inherited by her daughters, Keough and Harper and Finley Lockwood, a representative for Graceland confirmed to People. Lisa Marie shared Riley with her ex-husband, Danny Keough, whom she divorced in 1994.
"That says it all, and thank you all for being here," Priscilla concluded, speaking to the audience. "Our heart is broken, Lisa, and we all love you." The emotional ceremony was attended by Elvis star Austin Butler, while Sarah Ferguson spoke, and Billy Corgan, Axl Rose and Alanis Morissette all performed.
On July 11, 1954, Jerry Schilling was Elvis' best friend for 23 years after they played football together in Memphis. At the age of 12, Schilling went on to become part of Elvis' entourage, a business associate, and a long-time friend, all while growing up in Memphis.
The idea of opening Graceland to the public came to Priscilla Presley after Elvis' father Vernon died in 1979 and she was thrust into the role of managing the estate.
"Elvis didn't really hang out with other entertainers that much,” Schilling told the BBC. “But if there was one artist that Elvis truly called a friend and hung out with the most, it was Sir Tom Jones.” "Elvis was always cautious about letting people get close and what their intentions were," the producer went on.