It’s clear that Prince William inherited plenty of his mother’s
personal characteristics, but what exactly did Princess Diana leave
of her most prized possessions? The details of her will might surprise you.
Two decades after her untimely death, the world still remembers and talks about Princess Diana.
During her time as a royal, the late Princess of Wales carried out her duties with dignity and
elegance, and as a result, she is still thought of fondly by royal experts and the public alike.
But fans of the princess might not realize the incredible fortune she left behind in her will.
On top of her graceful demeanor, Diana was an exceptional mother.
The mother of Prince William and Prince Harry not only left behind a hefty legacy,
but she also helped raise them in becoming dutiful and conscientious men. Though the boys were 15 and
12 years old when Diana tragically died, both William and Harry internalized the relationship
they had with their mother and have used her teachings to make the world a better place.
William and Harry would ultimately go on to become distinguished servicemen, though the two have
gone in separate directions since. Prince Harry officially moved on from full-time royal duties,
forgoing royal funding in the process, and taking out a mortgage to finance his new California home
with wife Meghan Markle. Meanwhile, William is bearing Diana's strengths as a leader back
home with Kate Middleton, as the two help lead the royal family into its next phase.
But while the elder son clearly inherited many of his mother's attributes,
what actual possessions did Princess Diana leave behind for Prince William?
According to Reader's Digest, four years before her death in 1997,
Princess Diana ironed out a will that bequeathed some of her most
prized possessions and finances to sons Prince William and Prince Harry.
Perhaps one of the largest inheritances William received was a fraction of Diana's net worth.
At the time of her death, Diana had an estimated net worth of £21.5 million, which, when converted
and adjusted for inflation, would average out to around $55 million. However, as reported by
Forbes, the actual amount may have been just half of the estimated amount after estate tax.
"I declare bankruptcy!"
But either way you slice it, William surely received millions from his late mother.
It has also been reported that Diana set up a "discretionary fund," which would see
William and Harry, their future spouses, their children, and special charities
receive £100,000, which equates to roughly $136,000. The discretionary
fund essentially acted as a cherry on top of what Diana already provided for her children.
Diana also laid out the "residuary estate," or the remainder of her earnings, to be given to
her children when they turned 25 years old, but that wish ultimately was not honored.
According to Reader's Digest, the executors of Diana's trust, being her mother and sister,
changed the stipulations so that William and Harry received the residuary estate at age 30 instead,
netting William a cool $16 million and Harry $14 million when they reached that age.
Not only did the late Princess Diana leave behind a substantial amount of money for Prince William
and Prince Harry, but there were also several physical possessions listed in her will as well.
One of the most revered possessions Diana handed down to her children was her immaculate wedding
dress from when she tied the knot with Prince Charles. Interestingly enough,
the dress was 25 feet in length and was the longest wedding dress ever worn in royal history.
Diana also bestowed upon her children a plethora of jewelry and other possessions. It's believed
that Diana left the jewelry behind as she wanted her son's spouses to eventually wear them. 75%
of these possessions went to William and Harry, while the other 25% went to Diana's godchildren.
Perhaps the most personal effect of Diana's will, however, was letting her children choose
a keepsake of hers for them each to keep. Harry chose his mother's engagement ring,
but ultimately gave it to William for his marriage to Kate Middleton.
As former butler Paul Burrell recalled in the documentary "The Diana Story,"
"Harry said to him, 'Wouldn't it be fitting if she had mummy's ring?'"
William would also get Diana's Cartier watch, but he reportedly gave it up to Harry for
unknown reasons, perhaps as a friendly trade for the iconic engagement ring.
Meghan Markle has been spotted wearing the watch on multiple occasions in recent years.
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