Michael Edwards Denies Allegations of Sexual Abuse Made by Lisa Marie Presley in Posthumous Memoir

Actor Michael Edwards has issued a strong denial to allegations of sexual abuse made against him by the late Lisa Marie Presley in her posthumous memoir, From Here to the Great Unknown. The memoir, which was completed by Lisa Marie’s daughter Riley Keough after her death in 2023, alleges that Edwards sexually abused Lisa Marie for several years starting when she was 10 years old. Edwards was in a relationship with Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla Presley, at the time of the alleged abuse.

In his statement, Edwards categorically denied the allegations, stating, ‘These claims are absolutely untrue. I never molested Lisa Marie and am shocked at the suggestion I did.’ He also addressed a previous admission in his 1988 book Elvis, Priscilla and Me, where he described feeling a sexual desire towards Lisa Marie when she was a teenager. Edwards claimed he was encouraged to embellish this anecdote and now regrets doing so.

Lisa Marie’s memoir details specific incidents, including Edwards allegedly entering her room at night and molesting her. It also mentions that when Lisa Marie reported the incidents to her mother, Priscilla made Edwards apologize, but the abuse allegedly continued. Edwards disputed these claims, saying the notion that he molested Lisa Marie is a fabrication.

Caroline Van Zandt, Edwards’ daughter, also responded to the allegations. She stated that she was close friends with Lisa Marie during their parents’ relationship and had kept notes and letters from Lisa Marie, none of which suggested any inappropriate behavior by her father. Van Zandt expressed her disappointment over the claims, saying that any issues related to her father walking into Lisa Marie’s room were addressed and resolved as a family.