After Elvis Presley died, his daughter Lisa Marie continued to spend time at his Graceland mansion. So the King’s Aunt Delta moved in to take care of her. Well, she tried anyway.
Lisa Marie was actually a self-proclaimed “terror” who had little regard for authority. And even while Elvis was alive, she rarely behaved.
When Lisa’s mom and dad split in 1972, her mom had custody. However, Lisa still spent the holidays with her father. And because he slept all day, she had complete control of the 17,552 sqft home that sat on nearly 14 acres.
And in past interviews, Lisa Marie has admitted that she knew she could get away with anything because her father was not strict.
When Elvis Presley passed away in 1977, Lisa was only 9 years old. But she was the sole heir of the mansion and fortune. So, she continued to visit Graceland as she grew.
Because Lisa Marie was so young, her great Aunt Delta moved in to help raise her. But according to Express, Delta never managed to reign Lisa Marie in.
For the most part, Delta merely ensured that her niece took a bath and had dinner each night. But she even struggled to get that done because the young girl wasn’t keen on rules.
At 53, Lisa Marie Presley still loves the sprawling house and carries fond memories of her childhood there. To this day, she considers it her true home and uses Graceland to host most of her family events.
Elvis Presley Spent His Final Christmas With Lisa Marie at Graceland
Elvis Presley his final Christmas celebrating at Graceland with his friends, family—and most notably, Lisa Marie.
According to the King’s cousin Danny Smith, Christmas was a major event at the mansion. The yuletide festivities began on December 24 each year, and the staff would prepare a major feast for everyone in attendance.
Guests included Elvis’s bodyguards, friends, and family members—all of who were referred to as the Memphis Mafia.
The party truly began once Elvis made his big entrance down the main staircase. After eating, the adults would head upstairs to drink and dance. And the kids were left to terrorize the mansion alone. And Smith said that mischief definitely ensued.
During an interview with Express, Danny Smith revealed that Elvis spent his last Christmas exactly as he had since buying Graceland.
And Lisa Marie has loving memories of the 1976 party. She spent most of the night playing with the Memphis Mafia kids downstairs. And she even had a few glasses of the special Christmas punch. Elvis also gave Lisa Marie a golf cart that year.
“She loved to have her way,” Smith said. “She got it a lot of times.”
