Entertainment
Graceland prepares for Lisa Marie Presley’s memorial service following her death aged 54-Kitty Chrisp-Entertainment – Metro
The gates open at 5am for the public.
A tour bus brings people to Graceland as preparations for the memorial service are underway (Picture: EPA)
The general public is all invited to today’s memorial for Lisa Marie Presley in Graceland, Tennessee.
Presley died unexpectedly at 54 following a cardiac arrest on January 12 in her California home, leaving behind three children; 33-year-old actress Riley Keough and 14-year-old twins Finley and Harper Lockwood.
The Presley family’s mansion and 13-acre Memphis estate will host family, friends, and the mourning public in a memorial for the late singer which starts at 9am PST (3pm UK time) on January 22.
Preparations are underway, with the public invited to enter the estate from 5am PST when parking opens.
Fans will gather on the north lawn of Graceland Mansion adjacent to the seated area on the center lawn, which is reserved for Presley’s friends and family.
It will be a standing-only affair for the general public, who will get a space to watch on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tributes have been flooding in since Lisa Marie’s death was announced on January 12 (Picture: EPA)
Flowers have been flooding the gates of Graceland, and here a security guard takes one inside (Picture: EPA)
After the service, there will be a procession to see Presley’s final resting place in ‘Meditation Garden’ alongside her son Benjamin Keough, who died by suicide in 2020, and her father, the late singer Elvis Presley.
If unable to attend the service, the public can also watch it on a livestream, and there is also a digital guestbook in which to pay respects.
The singer, who was the only child of Elvis Presley, is survived by her mother Priscilla Presley, 77.
People have been visiting Graceland all week to pay their respects (Picture: EPA)
The Lisa Marie airplane has also been on display (Picture: EPA)
The late King of Rock and Roll’s ex-wife announced her daughter’s death in a statement at the time: ‘It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us.
‘She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.
‘We ask for privacy as we try to deal with this profound loss. Thank you for the love and prayers. At this time there will be no further comment.’
Presley’s eldest daughter Riley, whom the late singer shared with ex-husband Danny Keough, also paid tribute to her mother in a touching post that simply showed a black and white photo of the pair, captioned with a heart emoji.
Presley’s death came as a shock, as just days before she was seen on the red carpet at the Golden Globes cheering on Austin Butler for his portrayal of her father in the new biopic Elvis, directed by Baz Luhrmann.
Austin, who won best actor in drama, motion picture at the Globes for his efforts, paid tribute to Presley saying how his heart was ‘completely shattered’ for her family, and how her ‘warmth, her love and her authenticity’ will always be remembered.
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Other stars who have paid tribute include John Travolta, ex-husband Nicolas Cage, and Diane Warren among many others.
Over 45 years ago tens of thousands of people gathered at the estate to mourn the death of Elvis Presley, and today looks to be a big event too, as a member of Graceland’s media team told Newsweek they are expecting ‘thousands’ to turn up.
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MORE : Lisa Marie Presley’s daughter Riley Keough speaks out for first time after her death at 54
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