News / UK & International
Queen’s final wishes will be dealt with by a century-old tradition.
The Queen’s will is to remain hidden from the public for at least 90 years in line with a century-old tradition.
The document will be sealed and locked in a safe in an undisclosed location in London along with those of other deceased royals.
The practice dates back to 1910 after the death of Prince Francis of Teck, the younger brother of Queen Mary and grandmother of the late Queen.
His will was the first of more than 30 kept under lock and key in the safe, which is under the care of a judge.
Convention rules that the executor of their will applies 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 thus responsible for the safe containing the royal wills. He published the justification for the procedure following the death of Prince Philip aged 99 in 2021.
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.”
The Queen had an estimated net worth of £370m in 2022, according to the Sunday Times rich list.
Copyright © 2007-2022 STV. All rights reserved.