The late Prince Philip’s will was locked away for at least 90 years following his death in 2021 and the same fate awaits the Queen’s will.
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The Queen's will has been thrust into the public eye following the death of the 96-year-old monarch at Balmoral Castle last Thursday.
But sadly for inquisitive members of the public, it will be hidden from the public for at least 90 years in line with a century-old tradition.
If it was not locked away, it could provide valuable and rare never-before-seen insights into the royal life for those who care most about the monarchy.
READ MORE: Shetland star Douglas Henshall under-fire for suggesting the Queen's body is not in coffin
Instead, it will be sealed and locked in a safe in an undisclosed location in London along with more than 30 other royal wills from other deceased members of the family.
This historic practice resurfaced last year following the death of Prince Philip in 2021. The 99-year-old's will was also sealed for at least 90 years.
The exact details of this will probably never be released but it was announced that he had left behind a modest estate worth about £10m which included an art collection of about 3,000 works, most of which he left to family friends.
Prince Francis of Teck was the first royal to undertake this practice which dates back to 1910. He was the younger brother of Queen Mary and the grandmother of the late Queen.
His will is the first that has been kept under lock and key in the safe in an undisclosed location in the capital and is unlikely to ever be opened. It is under the care of a judge.
Convention rules that the executor of the will have to apply to the head of the London High Court's Family Division for it to be sealed.
Judge Andrew McFarlane is the current president of the Family Division and is responsible for the safe containing the royal wills. He published his ruling about why the procedures exists following Prince Philip's death.
He said: “The degree of publicity that publication would be likely to attract would be very extensive and wholly contrary to the aim of maintaining the dignity of the sovereign.”
Despite being charged with looking after the royal wills, Judge McFarlane has never seen them and has no knowledge of what is in them.
We previously told how the Queen had an estimated net worth of £370m which is according to the Sunday Times rich list. Her true value has never been revealed.
It is likely that her son King Charles will inherit the vast majority of that wealth and will not have to pay inheritance tax on it due to long-standing rules.
However, her proper will which sets out who gets what, will be deposited in the royal safe alongside her husbands. Other prominent wills already in there include those of her mother Elizabeth and sister Princess Margaret who both died in 2002.
Margaret's will was the subject of a 2007 legal challenge by Robert Brown, who claimed to be the princess's illegitimate son and wanted to see it in order to advance his claim. However, the courts rejected his belief as "irrational" and he was not given access.
Prince Francis of Teck, whose will is the earliest to be kept in the safe, died in 1910 aged 40.
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