Princess Diana left her entire estate to one person, shocking the Royal Family, her will—dated June 1, 1993, and modified in 1996—clearly designated her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, as the primary beneficiaries of the vast majority of her wealth.
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The gross value of her estate was approximately £21.7 million (roughly $40 million at the time), which, after inheritance taxes, netted around £12.9 million; this residuary estate was split equally between William and Harry, held in trust until they reached specific ages.
Actual Distribution of Assets
Diana’s will included several other specific bequests, but none constituted the "entire estate":
Paul Burrell: Her longtime butler received a tax-free gift of £50,000.
17 Godchildren: Each received personal effects such as photographs, paintings, and china, valued as "chattels" rather than cash.
Discretionary Trust: A sum of £100,000 plus all her wearing apparel (including her iconic wedding dress) and future royalties from her likeness were placed in a trust for her sons, their future families, and charities.
The "Letter of Wishes"
Accompanying her legal will was a non-binding "Letter of Wishes" in which Diana expressed a desire for 75% of her personal belongings to go to William and Harry, with the remaining 25% distributed among her godchildren; however, the executors later varied this distribution, allowing the godchildren to select one item each when Harry turned 30.
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