Earls rebel daughter loses £1.3m Will fight

The daughter of an earl who “hated” her family’s aristocratic lifestyle has lost her claim for “reasonable provision” from her father’s estate. Lady Tara Wellesley did not see her father, the seventh Earl Cowley, for 26 years before his death in 2016, having railed against her family’s “superior attitudes”. She was left just £20k in his will and sought a larger share of his £1.3m fortune so she could buy her council house. Dismissing her claim, Judge John Linwood told the High Court it was her fault that she and her father were estranged.

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In 2023 there were 122 contested probate cases, up from 116 cases in 2022, according to the Ministry of Justice Family Court Statistics.

Philip Collins, Partner at Winckworth Sherwood, said that it “isn’t at all surprising” that there has been a rise in contested probate claims. He said: “We know that significant amounts of wealth, often tied up in property, is currently being passed down to younger generations. Inherited wealth is becoming increasingly important and can often […]