Lisa Marie Presley mourned at Graceland after her death aged 54

A public memorial has been held honouring Lisa Marie Presley, the only daughter of Elvis Presley, at the Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.

The singer was rushed to the hospital on 13 January, after suffering a cardiac arrest. She died at age 54, only a few days after attending the Golden Globes, where actor Austin Butler won the best actor award for portraying her father in the film Elvis.

Family, friends and fans walked in a procession to Presley’s final resting place, a garden on the property where her son and father are buried.

Ms Presley was buried there alongside the grave of her son, Benjamin Keough, who died in 2020 at age 27, a death ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles County coroner.

After the burial, a public memorial service took place on the front lawn of Graceland, followed by a procession past the grave.

Jason Clark and The Tennessee Mass Choir opened the service with a powerful rendition of “Amazing Grace”.

From the stage, Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla Presley, thanked everyone for coming to honour her daughter.

She also read a poem written by one of Lisa Marie’s daughters, which said: “I have no idea how to put my mother into words, the truth is there are too many.

“Lisa Marie Presley was an icon, a role model, a superhero to many people all over the world.

“But mama was my icon, my role model, my superhero, and much more ways than one.”

A poem by Lisa’s daughter Riley was also read out, which said: “I hope I can love my daughter that way you loved me. The way you love my brother and my sisters. Thank you for giving me strength, my heart, my empathy, my courage, my sense of humour.

“My manners, my temper, my wildness, my tenacity. I’m a product of your heart. My sisters are a product of your heart. My brother is a product of your heart.

“We are you. You are us, my eternal love. I hope you finally know how loved you were here. Thank you for trying so hard for us. If I didn’t tell you every day, thank you.”

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, delivered a tribute to her “sissy”, in which she offered her support to the late singer’s children.

She said: “Sissie, this is for you with affection. My late mother-in-law used to say that nothing can be said, can begin to take away the anguish and the pain of these moments, because grief is the price we pay for love, and how right she was.

Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, speaks at the public memorial for Lisa Marie Presley (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

“Today we talk about Lisa Marie. We look at Priscilla, as a mother to Lisa Marie. We look to Lisa Marie and say you lost a son. Mothers losing children – there are no words for it.

“So today we talk about action and action is the way we can go forward. We can light the flame. So for Riley, Harper and Finley, and for the entire family, we march forward in support of you. All of us are with you, and we will help you as best we can. If you just put out your hand, we will be there.”

The service also featured a number of musical tributes, including from Alanis Morissette, who delivered an emotional rendition of her song “Rest”. Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose performed the band’s song “November Rain”, and Billy Corgan sang “To Sheila” by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Alanis Morrissette singing at the public memorial for Lisa Marie Presley at her father’s Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee (Photo: PA)

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet, who performed at her father’s funeral in 1977 with different members, also sang the gospel song “How Great Thou Art”, followed by “Sweet, Sweet Spirit”.

Pastor Dwayne Hunt delivered two prayers in which he said Lisa Marie leaves her “light to her children and her mother so that they can rise above the darkness of this grief”.

The former mayor of Memphis recalled the “hard times” the city faced when Lisa Marie was born in 1968, and how important her birth was at the time.

During his speech, A. C. Wharton said that before Beyoncé and Jay Z had their daughter Blue Ivy, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had their son Archie, Elvis and Priscilla had their daughter Lisa Marie.

As the only daughter of the King of Rock and Roll, he described her as “the conduit to the throne” and “the keeper of the flame”.

Wharton added: “I don’t know much about Hollywood, I can’t speak for New York or any other city where Lisa may have spent time, but I can tell you that Lisa Marie was this city’s precious jewel.”

Jerry Schilling, who was close friends with Elvis and was Lisa Marie’s first manager, along with Joel Weinshanker, the managing partner of Elvis Presley Enterprises, also delivered moving eulogies about the singer where they recalled fond memories of their time together.

Fans gather to pay their respects at the memorial for Lisa Marie Presley (Photo: Jason Kempin/Getty)

Ms Presley released three albums: To Whom It May Concern in 2003, Now What in 2005, and Storm & Grace in 2012.

In 2018, she featured on a new record, Where No One Stands Alone, which was released to celebrate her father’s love of gospel music, and featured 14 original performances recorded by him.

The title track was a reimagined duet, in which Lisa Marie dueted with her father – who died at the age of 42 in 1977.

Last year, she wrote an essay published in People about “the horrific reality” of her grief following her son Benjamin Keough’s death by suicide in 2020.

“I’ve dealt with death, grief and loss since the age of 9 years old. I’ve had more than anyone’s fair share of it in my lifetime and somehow, I’ve made it this far,” she wrote in August.

The singer was married four times: first to musician Danny Keough, then to singer Michael Jackson, actor Nicolas Cage, and music producer Michael Lockwood.