Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, yesterday (January 22) spoke at a public memorial service for Lisa Maria Presley and quoted the words of Queen Elizabeth II.
A memorial service for the late singer was held on the lawn in front of the Presley Graceland Family House Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. Lisa Maria Presley, Elvis’ only daughter and sole heir to his fortune, died at the age of 54 on January 12 after a cardiac arrest at her home in Calabasas.
It was previously announced that Presley would be buried at the Graceland site next to her son Benjamin Keough, who died at the age of 27 in 2020. Graceland Gardens is also the resting place of Elvis, his parents Vernon and Gladys, and his grandmother Minnie Mae.
Speaking at the service, Ferguson paid tribute to her close friend, sharing a quote about the grief of her mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth II.
“My late mother—in—law said that nothing (of what) can be said can calm the anguish and pain of these moments, because grief is the price we pay for love, and how right she was,” she said. said.
Ferguson then read George Frost’s poem “A Tribute to Their Children,” which he wrote an excerpt for his late father, journalist David Frost.
I say hello to you everyday and I love you my sissy and I will continue to say hello to you everyday. You were my sissy, an amazing mother to Ben, Riley, Harper and Finley and a superbly loving daughter to Priscilla. pic.twitter.com/Sp707Gob9Q
— Sarah Ferguson (@SarahTheDuchess) January 13, 2023
Other guests at the service included Alanis Morissette, Billy Corgan and Axl Rose. Rose began his tribute speech with a eulogy for his late friend.
“I know Lisa loved her family very much and fiercely defended her father and his legacy,” said the Guns N’ Roses member. “I never imagined in a million years that I would be singing here under such circumstances.” Rose then performed a solo piano version of Guns N’ Roses’ 1991 song “November Rain”.
Corgan performed “To Sheila”, taken from The Smashing Pumpkins’ 1998 album “Adore”, and Morissette was accompanied by a pianist for her tribute performance of “Rest”.
Along with these performances, Presley’s memorial service featured musical performances by the Tennessee Mass Choir and the Blackwood Brothers, the latter of whom were friends with Elvis before his death.
Earlier this month, John Travolta, Pink, Garbage, Diane Warren and Bette Midler were among those who paid tribute to Lisa Marie. Austin Butler, who played Elvis in the biopic of the same name, described her as a “bright light” and remembered her “for her warmth, love and sincerity.”
