MEMPHIS − “A mix of laughter, tears, and at times, a good old-fashioned family sitcom.”

These were the words Nicole Richie shared Saturday night at Graceland, summarizing “From Here to the Great Unknown,” the memoir co-written by the late Lisa Marie Presley and her daughter, Riley Keough.

The sentiment also resonated with the event itself—a sometimes emotional and funny public dialogue between Richie and Keough, which turned particularly lively when they were unexpectedly joined by Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie’s mother and Keough’s grandmother.

Reflecting on her daughter’s 1990s marriage to Michael Jackson, Priscilla queried Riley: “Did you like Michael?” “I did,” Keough affirmed. “You did?” Priscilla replied. “I was  6,” Keough noted.

Advertised as a “celebration” of the new memoir (selected by Oprah’s Book Club), the gathering at Graceland’s Soundstage drew a full house of around 1,600 fans, each paying $40 for a ticket that included an autographed copy of the book by Keough.

License plates from states like Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Texas, Illinois, and Alabama were spotted in the parking area, signifying attendees from all over.

Maria Samaniego, sitting in the spotlight of the venue, expressed how attending this event brought her to Graceland for the first time. “It’s been my dream to visit Graceland,” said Samaniego, 62.

As Priscilla Presley made her surprise appearance approximately 45 minutes into the hour-long discussion, the audience erupted in excitement. Among them, Samaniego shared her delight: “I named my daughter Priscilla,” she said.

The presence of Keough’s friend Richie was also unannounced. They settled into comfortable chairs, turned slightly towards one another, and had a tabletop with Mountain Valley spring water nearby.

Richie, 43, visiting Memphis for the first time, expertly steered the discussion while praising Keough’s writing, describing it as “filled with a depth of empathy seldom seen in mother-child relationships,” and explored the memoir’s theme of “grief,” shared by both Lisa Marie (who lost her father, Elvis, when he was 42) and Riley (who lost her mother, Lisa Marie, at the age of 54).

“I don’t know what closure means,” Keough admitted regarding her feelings after her mother passed in 2023. “The concept of closure is something I struggle to grasp.”

“People comment on the tragedy within our family, saying it’s remarkable. But it’s quite a common experience,” Keough said, mentioning that many families deal with loss and addiction.

At one moment, Keough chuckled, “Nicole’s crying − I’m the one who’s supposed to be shedding tears.”

Keough shared her mother’s affection for Graceland, noting, “Even though she lost her father here, I feel she found a certain freedom and connection to him here. It’s a place with a complex emotional palette; it contains joy as well as sorrow. This sentiment resonates with many who visit.”

Priscilla Presley, who also spoke earlier at a national Rotary Club event in Memphis, recounted how “Lisa” cherished her visits to Graceland as a child because “I wasn’t around” to enforce rules. “She would stay up until 3 or 4 a.m. and wouldn’t bother with brushing her teeth, she truly ran Graceland.”

Expressing her pride in being a grandmother, Presley, 79, dismissed any notions of a rivalry between herself and Keough regarding the Graceland estate (which Keough now manages). “All the rumors about us being at odds are false,” said Presley, who moved to Graceland at 17 and was married to Elvis from 1967 to 1973. “Those tabloids are profiting off lies.”

In the 1990s, tabloids would have reveled in the candidness of Presley’s disapproval of Lisa Marie’s relationship with Michael Jackson, similar to her revelations on Saturday.

Presley expressed her discontent upon Lisa Marie meeting “you-know-who − Michael Jackson. She would ask me, why don’t you like him? I knew he was a huge Elvis fan and understood why he wanted to marry her. And, inevitably, after their marriage, she barely saw him.

After being home for four days, she said, “I don’t know where he is.”

When Lisa Marie informed Priscilla about her decision to divorce Jackson, Priscilla felt a wave of happiness. “That’s the second one gone,” she commented, referencing Lisa Marie’s four marriages.

Nonetheless, both she and Riley Keough agreed that the first husband, Danny Keough (who is Riley’s father), was an exceptional parent and a steadfast supporter. Even after their separation, Danny remained Lisa Marie Presley’s closest friend, as noted by Keough.