During the memorial service for Lisa Marie Presley at Graceland over the weekend, Riley Keough’s husband revealed that Presley had become a first-time grandmother last year. According to People magazine, Ben Smith-Petersen — who is married to Presley’s eldest child, 33-year-old actress Keough — revealed during the ceremony at Elvis’ Memphis estate Graceland for the first time in public that the couple are parents.
“I hope I can love my daughter the way you loved me, the way you loved my brother and my sisters. Thank you for giving me strength, my heart, my empathy, my courage, my sense of humor, my manners, my temper, my wildness, my tenacity,” Smith-Petersen said while reading a tribute to Presley on behalf of Keough, who was seated in the front row. “I’m a product of your heart, my sisters are a product of your heart, my brother is a product of your heart.”
The magazine reported that Smith-Peteresen did not give any further details on when the couple’s daughter was born or her name; People said a rep for Keough confirmed the couple’s baby girl was born in 2022.
Lisa Marie Presley died on Jan. 12 at age 54 after being rushed to a Los Angeles hospital after suffering from a possible cardiac arrest. She was also honored at the public memorial service on Sunday by reclusive Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose, who shared some heartfelt words about his good friend before playing a solo version of the GNR classic “November Rain.”
“With Lisa’s passing, I knew if I was invited I needed to come to these ceremonies,” Rose began his emotional statement, reading from a cell phone. “I hadn’t planned on speaking, and when I was put on the spot, I really didn’t know what to say. I was tongue-tied and nervous, and I didn’t really know what I said. But I, as I’m sure many of you, are still in shock, as I feel I will continue to be for quite some time. I never in a million years imagined being here, singing under these circumstances.”
In addition to Rose, the memorial service also included musical tributes from Billy Corgan, who performed an acoustic rendition of the Smashing Pumpkins song “To Sheila,” and Alanis Morissette, who sang her 2017 song about mental health “Rest.” Other speakers included Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla Presley; Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York; music industry veteran Jerry Schilling; and Smith-Petersen; among others.
