Elvis’ Heir Sparks Concern about Why She Welcomed Baby through Surrogacy at 34 — She Explained Her Decision

• Riley Keough, the eldest granddaughter of Elvis Presley, is now the owner of the legendary singer’s home in Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee.
• She had her first child in August 2022 but recently revealed she welcomed her daughter via surrogacy.
• Keough received a lot of backlash for choosing not to carry her child at 34.

Riley Keough is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough and the eldest grandchild of legendary singer Elvis Presley and actress Priscilla Presley.

Keough started her career as a model during her teenage years and walked runways for big brands like Dolce & Gabbana. She has also graced the cover of Vogue Magazine with her mother and grandmother.

Keough then ventured into acting in 2010 and landed roles in several TV shows such as “The Runaways” “The Good Doctor” and “Jack & Diane.”

Unfortunately, the actress lost her mother after she suffered a cardiac arrest in her Los Angeles home at 54. Following Lisa Marie’s death, Keough became the sole trustee of her mother’s estate.

According to reports, Lisa Marie initially listed her mother and former business manager, Barry Siegel, as the trustees but changed it along the way.

However, Priscilla was reportedly unaware of the amendment and filed a petition challenging the validity of her daughter’s will.

Despite the minor hiccup, Keough and her grandmother reached an agreement. “The Good Doctor” actor was given the authority to look over the sub-trusts for her half-sisters.

Priscilla was also given a role as a special adviser and will receive a monthly payment for her services. She will be provided with a burial site at Elvis Presley’s former home in Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, which Keough now owns.

Keough welcomed her first child, Tupelo Storm Smith-Petersen, in August 2022 with her husband, Ben Smith-Petersen. But it was only recently that the actress shared she had welcomed her daughter via surrogacy.

She also opened up about her daughter’s name, which is a unique tribute to Elvis Presley. Keough said she had already decided on Tupelo before the famous movie “Elvis” was released.

She thought it was one of the few unknown details about her grandfather, but after the Baz Luhrmann-directed film came out, it was no longer a secret.

Tupelo is the Mississippi birthplace of Elvis Presley, and her daughter’s middle name, Storm, is a tribute to her late brother Benjamin Storm Keough who died by suicide.

However, after the 34-year-old revealed that she had welcomed her first child via surrogacy, she received a lot of backlash from internet users.

People did not understand why she chose surrogacy because she was still young enough to carry a child. The actress admitted that she could carry children but reasoned, “I can carry children, but it felt like the best choice for what I had going on physically with the autoimmune stuff.”

Keough reportedly had Lyme disease, but Facebook users still questioned her reasoning. One commenter said the condition was not something she had to live with forever because it was curable.

The commenter continued, “… just be honest and say you don’t want to carry one; I totally get that, ah well, the rich can do what they like, I suppose lol.”

Despite the controversy of her choice to welcome her child via surrogacy, Keough wanted her daughter to represent her legendary family history and the people she loved.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.