Lisa Marie Presley’s exMichael Lockwoodis looking to “protect” their twinsHarper Vivienne Ann and Finley Aaron Loveamid the family’s trust battle.
In a Thursday hearing held in Los Angeles, Judge Lynn Healey Scaduto considered Lockwood’s request to represent the twins in a trust battle regarding Lisa Marie’s will. His lawyer, Scott Rahn, said that he’s “ready, able and willing to protect their interests.”
When Judge Scaduto asked if the 61-year-old musician had any preexisting relationships with the parties involved in the case, Rahn said that they were all on good terms.
“Lockwood has a good, collegial, familial relationship with all of the parties involved,” he said. “He is not only legally bound but also morally bound to protect [the twins'] interests.” (A sourcepreviously told PEOPLEthat Lockwood wasn’t invited to the funeral and his presence was “the last thing” Lisa Marie would have wanted.)
Lawyers forPriscilla PresleyandRiley Keoughhad no objections to the request and the judge said she would issue a written ruling. The ruling came later Thursday afternoon, with the court granting the petitions pursuant.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 16.
Finley Aaron Love Lockwood and Harper Vivienne Ann Lockwood.Steve Cohn/Shutterstock
Lockwood filed a petition saying that he wished to be appointed the 14-year-old twins' legal guardian ad litem in March. His reasoning was that “the minor is a beneficiary of a trust at issue before the probate court in the above-referenced case. The minor requires appointment of a guardian ad litem to represent her interests in the proceeding.”
Michael Lockwood and Lisa Marie Presley.Christopher Polk/Getty
“There is no conflict regarding appointment because the proposed guardian is not a beneficiary of the trust instrument at issue,” Lockwood, who welcomed Harper and Finley with Lisa Marie in October 2008, added.
Both Harper and Finley signed forms consenting to Lockwood being their guardian ad litem at the time.
Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley.Bryan Steffy/WireImage
The change had removed Priscilla and Lisa Marie’s former business manager Barry Siegel as cotrustees and gave control of the trust — the Graceland mansion and a 15 percent stake in Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), which together brought in a reported $110 million in 2022 — to Riley, 33, and Benjamin.
Ina recent issue of PEOPLE, Lisa Marie’s friend claimed “there’s zero question” what her wishes were: “Lisa wanted Riley and Ben to be the trustees” — and for all her children to be the beneficiaries.
RELATED VIDEO: Inside Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough’s Fight Over Lisa Marie’s Trust: ‘They Don’t See Eye to Eye’
In a Feb. 3 statement, Priscilla maintained she is acting with “integrity and love,” and a Lockwood source said the matriarch remains close to him to “be a part of her grandchildren’s lives.”
Ahead of the court hearing, sources said Riley is focused on her acting career — she stars in Amazon Prime Video’s new limited seriesDaisy Jones & the Six— and Elvis' first great-grandchild. At her mother’s memorial, Riley’s stuntman husband,Ben Smith-Petersen, revealed that they had had their first child in 2022.
Lockwoodaddressed Lisa Marie’s deathon social media.
“We are all reeling from the sudden passing of Lisa Marie Presley, the mother of my two beautiful twin daughters Harper and Finley,” Lockwood said in a statement to PEOPLE about Lisa Marie and his girls. “Nothing prepares us for such an unexpected tragedy. It is incomprehensible.”
“The most important thing to me at this time is to take care of my daughters, making sure they always feel safe and loved,” he continued. “Both of them have incredible spirit and they will carry our family’s legacy on for the rest of their lives. Since they were born, Harper and Finley have brought me profound joy and I remain devoted to them. We ask for privacy at this incredibly difficult time.”
source: people.com
