Priscilla Presley has responded to the issuing of cease-and-desist letters to Elvis Presley impersonators.
Executives at Authentic Brands Group – the company that licenses Elvis’s likeness – have issued cease-and-desist letters to chapels in Las Vegas supporting impersonators, CNN reports.
Bosses have claimed chapels offering Elvis impersonators to officiate weddings are using the iconic singer’s likeness without legal authorisation.
“As the guardians of the Elvis Presley estate, it is our responsibility to safeguard his legacy,” a representative told the outlet in a statement. “This includes ensuring that all products, services, and advertisements utilizing Elvis’ name, image, or likeness are officially licensed by Elvis Presley Enterprises.”
But when TMZ asked Elvis’s ex-wife Priscilla Presley whether she knew about the letters over the weekend, the 77-year-old responded, “That has nothing to do with me.”
Following concern online, a spokesperson for Authentic Brands Group later insisted the ban related to a “small number” of impersonators.
“We are sorry that recent communication with a small number of Las Vegas-based chapels caused confusion and concern,” they added. “That was never our intention.”
Priscilla was married to Elvis between 1967 and 1973. The Jailhouse Rock hitmaker died at the age of 42 in 1977.