When Princess Diana died in August 1997, her sons William and Harry inherited a large part of her possessions, but it took many years to obtain her estate.
On June 1, 1993, four years before the tragic death of Diana of Wales, she had signed her will which assured her children a good future. In fact, Prince Harry revealed in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, that he was able to leave the palace and become independent thanks to the inheritance left to him by his late mother.
How much was Princess Diana’s net worth?
Diana in August 1997 had a net worth of about 21 million pounds, about 31.5 million U.S. dollars. That estate included her £17 million divorce settlement with Prince Charles, her jewelry, clothing and stock investments.
It should be noted that this inheritance was divided among several people including her butler, Paul Burrell and her 21 godchildren but the main beneficiaries were William and Harry under what was established as a “Discretionary Fund” which ensured financial peace of mind for them and their future families.
Diana’s Inheritance
On June 2, 1993, Diana drafted an additional document, called a ‘Letter of Wishes’ in which she gave instructions as to what they could do with her jewelry and material possessions. Seventy-five percent of these personal items were divided equally between William and Harry. The remaining 25 percent was intended for her godchildren.
Diana’s ‘residuary estate’ was divided among her children but would remain in a trust until they reached the age of 25. Unfortunately, after Diana’s death, her mother and sister, who were added to the will in February 1996, according to the executors, applied for a variation of the will known as “The Arrangement”. That order postponed the date on which William and Harry would inherit their share of the estate and it was not until they turned 30 that they inherited the full amount.
How much money Diana inherited to her children?
The residuary estate amounted to some US$16 million each. Some of the assets that Diana left to her children include the wedding dress designed by David and Elizabeth Emanuel which has a train of more than 7 meters long, luxury watches and her engagement ring.