It would be reasonable to think that celebrities who have amassed a great wealth would have all their affairs in order, particularly their Will. However, this is not always the case!

Celebrities Who Died Intestate

Prince Nelson Rogers (aka Prince) passed away in 2016 at the age of 57 without a Will. His estate was worth around $156 million and had to be dealt with under the intestacy provisions in Minnesota. Prince had no surviving spouse, children or parents when he passed away and so the Court had to appoint an administrator to determine who should inherit. Prince’s estate took around six years to conclude.

Steig Larsson was the author of the famous trilogy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He died intestate at the age of 50. However, as there was no Will, his unmarried partner of 32 years received nothing, and the estate passed to Steig’s father under the intestacy provisions.

Kurt Cobain died in 1994 at the age 27 with no valid Will. Kurt was still married to Courtney Love at the date of his death, and so his estate passed to her as his surviving wife.

More recently, Liam Payne, member of boy band 'One Direction' which my colleague, Megan Lovell, discusses in her blog here.

In all these cases, there were lengthy periods of administration and often disappointed or unintended beneficiaries as a result of no Wills having been made.

What Happens If Someone Dies Intestate

Where someone dies without a Will in England and Wales, the Rules of Intestacy apply and these will determine who should inherit the estate and who should administer. As with the case with these celebrities, this can often leave unmarried partners and children from previous marriages disappointed when the estates are directed by law elsewhere.

The best way to ensure that you estate passes to your loved ones and is dealt with people of your choosing is to prepare a Will and then to keep your Will under review every few years or sooner if circumstances change.

How Can Timms Help?

If you would like further information please don't hesitate to contact me at e.facer@timms-law.com or on 01332 364436.

Alternatively, you can visit the Wills and Probate page of our website here.