It’s not just ordinary citizens who die without leaving a Will. Often in the case of extremely wealthy or famous individuals it’s because they have passed away at a young age, having never anticipated an early death. In such circumstances the thought of making a Will understandably hadn’t even crossed their minds.
Usually a wife or husband will automatically benefit from the estate of someone who dies without leaving a Will – regardless of age. So too will any children. It may also be the case that in the absence of the former estranged family members or cousins etc benefit from the assets.
Celebrities who have died young leaving a large amount of assets but no Will include Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix and Bob Marley. Older citizens have done so too, of course. There’s Prince, for instance, or artist Pablo Picasso. Stieg Larson (author of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy) died likewise, as did soul singer Barry White and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Here’s what happened to the estates of some of those famous individuals:
Celebrities and distribution of their estates
Jimi Hendrix. When the singer died of asphyxia in 1970 at the young age of just 27, he hadn’t left a Will. As a result, his father inherited the estate. After Hendrix snr’s death the estate was then left to Hendrix’s sister (but not his brother). A battle between the two then ensued over the $80 million the estate is reputed to have been worth. Washington State Supreme Court upheld the Will but brother and sister continued to argue over who had rights to use their sibling’s image. Eventually a settlement was reached in 2015.
Bob Marley. Having fallen victim to skin cancer in 1980, Bob Marley passed, aged 36, without leaving a Will. Under Jamaican law his wife Rita and 11 children were only entitled to 10 per cent of his assets (believed to be worth around $30 million). Eventually, after a court ruled it permissible, Rita was awarded the right to use her ex-husband’s name and image. Marley’s half-brother, Richard Booker, who used the singer’s name for hosting music festivals, was taken to court and sued.
Stieg Larson. The Swedish author died in 2004 of a heart attack. He was 50 years old. Under Swedish law his estate (worth around £30 million) was divided up between his father and brother. Stieg’s partner of 32 years, Eva Gabrielsson, wasn’t entitled to anything. Despite this, the family allowed her to stay – and own – the apartment she’d lived in with Larsson.
Amy Winehouse. Singer Amy Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning when she was just 27-years-old. She didn’t have a Will and her parents inherited her £3.5 million estate. This was despite the fact she didn’t particularly get on with her father Mitch, according to a documentary shown after her death.
The above are by no means the only celebrities and/or wealthy people who have died without leaving a Will. In many cases this results in messy court cases and lifelong fall-outs between family members. In other words, it’s so much fairer and decent to make a Will – especially if you want to make sure certain individuals are disinherited (see Winehouse and her father).
Get in touch
If you would like to find out about making a Will in order to make sure your estate goes to the right person or people, then do get in touch with the team here at IWC Probate Services. You can call us today for advice or to set up a meeting, on 020 8150 2010. You can also email us via admin@iwcprobateservices.co.uk.
