Princess Diana did not leave her entire estate to one person, contrary to sensational claims. Her 1993 will, amended in 1996, divided assets primarily between Princes William and Harry, reshaping royal inheritance norms.
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Valued at around £21 million including cash, jewels, and divorce settlement funds, the estate covered £50,000 to butler Paul Burrell, sentimental items for her 17 godchildren, and a £100,000 trust holding her wardrobe—including the iconic wedding dress—for her sons, future spouses, children, and charities. Royalties from her image and effects bolstered this fund into perpetuity, with remaining assets split equally between William and Harry upon reaching 25 (trust access) and 30 (full control).
Controversy and Court Variation
Executors—sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale and mother Frances Shand Kydd—later varied the will via High Court to seal 75% of personal effects from public scrutiny for a decade, protecting heirlooms amid Paul Burrell's legal battles over retained items. Diana's Letter of Wishes directed three-quarters of chattels like jewelry to her boys, the rest to godchildren, ensuring privacy over spectacle.
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