Priscilla Presley schemed to purchase her twin granddaughters’ rights to their name, image and likeness to ensure that she remained “the face of Graceland,” a new legal filing alleges.
Brigitte Kruse — who, along with her business partner, Kevin Fialko, has been accused of elder abuse in a lawsuit by Elvis Presley’s ex-wife, 80 — made the claims in an amended complaint filed on Wednesday, November 12, which was obtained by Globe. (Kruse and Fialko, whose lawyer denied Priscilla’s claims, are also in the middle of a $50 million breach of contract lawsuit against the actress.)
Kruse claims that she and Fialko negotiated a deal for the late Lisa Marie Presley’s daughters, Harper and Finley Lockwood, now 17. Their father, Michael Lockwood, 64, “was financially destitute at the time,” the filing says of the musician, who fought a long and bitter custody battle with Lisa Marie before her death at 54 in 2023.
“Kruse and Fialko worked to secure an attorney for him on contingency and negotiated a deal for him to be paid $25,000 per month,” Kruse claims. “Lockwood and Priscilla pleaded with Kruse and Fialko to have Lockwood instated as Harper and Finley’s guardian ad litem, which they secured.”
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The twins, along with their older half-sister, Riley Keough, 36, are now heirs to the Presley Estate.
“Priscilla then demanded that Kruse and Fialko purchase the name, image and likeness rights for Harper and Finley,” the filing reveals.
“Priscilla knew that Harper and Finley were twins (just as Elvis was a twin), and she considered them a major threat,” alleges Kruse, noting that Elvis was “King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” and “Priscilla always wanted to be ‘Queen.’”
“Priscilla wanted to … make sure she could stop [the twins] from taking the spotlight, just as Lisa took the spotlight from her,” accuses Kruse.
The Dallas alum “has lived off the Presley name her entire life, has totally exploited it,” a source tells Globe. “If she controls them, she controls Graceland. It’s all about money!”
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“The allegations in our Amended Cross-Complaint demonstrate that Priscilla purchased the name, image and likeness rights of her own grandchildren, Harper and Finley Lockwood, so she could control the narrative, ensuring that no one in the family would challenge her position as the face of the Presley family,” Jordan Matthews of Holtz Matthews LLP said in a statement to Globe.
In a statement regarding claims made in Kruse’s lawsuit, Priscilla’s lawyer, Martin D. Singer, previously told Globe:
“Priscilla did not have anything to do with the assassination of JFK, she did not cover up Area 51, she did not fake the moon landing, and she is not secretly keeping Bigfoot locked in a cabin in Canada. Take off the aluminum foil hat and face reality. This lawsuit concerns Ms. Presley’s claims against Ms. Kruse (and her co-conspirators) in which she alleges that Ms. Kruse engaged in a relentless and calculated campaign of elder abuse and fraud in order to take control of Ms. Presley’s finances for her own benefit. Ms. Kruse’s allegations are absurd and despicable, but unfortunately, are not surprising. Ms. Presley looks forward to holding Ms. Kruse and her co-conspirators liable for their wrongful acts.”
This story Priscilla Presley Sees Twin Granddaughters As a ‘Major Threat,’ Now Controls Their Names (Exclusive) first appeared on Globe. Add Globe as a Preferred Source by clicking here.