Watch the video at the end of this article.
Introduction
Riley Keough Opens the Door to Graceland’s Hidden Upstairs: A Personal Look into Elvis Presley’s Private Life
For more than forty years, the upper floor of Graceland—Elvis Presley’s famed home in Memphis—has remained strictly closed to the public, wrapped in secrecy and speculation. No guided tours, no photographs, and no firsthand accounts ever emerged from this private level. After Elvis passed away there in 1977, his father Vernon ensured the space stayed untouched. Now, for the first time, a member of the Presley family is revealing what has long been concealed.
That person is Riley Keough, Elvis’s granddaughter and the current trustee of Graceland.
In a rare and heartfelt account, Riley described her visit to her grandfather’s most personal rooms. Her intention was not to uncover curiosities, but to better understand the man behind the legend. Instead of a shrine to fame, she encountered an atmosphere filled with silence, emotion, and humanity. Elvis’s bedroom remains unchanged—the clock stopped at 2:30 PM, his cologne still resting on the dresser, and the book he last read lying beside the bed. The room feels preserved rather than abandoned, as if time itself paused.
One of the most moving discoveries was a shoebox clearly labeled “Do Not Open.” Inside were private letters, including one written to her mother, Lisa Marie, and another addressed to “whoever finds this after I’m gone.” Although Riley has chosen not to share their contents, she explained that they reshaped her view of Elvis as a deeply spiritual, imperfect, and searching individual.
She also uncovered a hidden meditation room, unknown to the public, containing cushions, soft lighting, and books filled with Elvis’s handwritten thoughts on faith and destiny. It was a refuge from fame, revealing a man seeking peace.
Riley’s goal is not publicity, but preservation. By digitizing Elvis’s journals and resisting commercial misuse, she hopes to honor his legacy—and remind the world that the King of Rock and Roll was, above all, a man longing for freedom.