Family feud over fortune ends in court ruling after grandkids left with mere £50

In a dramatic conclusion to a family dispute that reached the High Court, a judge has ruled in favour of a grandfather’s decision to leave the bulk of his £500,000 estate to his two children, Terry Ward and Susan Wiltshire, while his five grandchildren received only £50 each. The case spotlighted the deep divisions within the family of Frederick Ward Snr, a determined former soldier from Ealing, London, who passed away in 2020.

The contention arose after Frederick Ward’s death when it was revealed that his grandchildren by his deceased son Fred Jr—Carol Gowing, Angela St Marseille, Amanda Higginbotham, Christine Ward, and Janet Pett—were largely omitted from the will. Instead of inheriting a substantial portion of their grandfather’s fortune, each granddaughter was given a symbolic £50, encapsulated in envelopes, a gesture that led to an acrimonious inheritance battle.

Frederick Ward, who had a distinguished military background, had expressed to his legal advisors his disappointment over the lack of visits from his son Fred’s children, especially during his hospital stays for a lung condition. This sentiment evidently influenced his decision on how his assets were to be distributed upon his death.

The aggrieved granddaughters took legal action against their uncle and aunt, accusing them of exerting undue influence over their grandfather, leading him to alter his will in a way that excluded them from their rightful inheritance. They contended that they were entitled to their late father Fred Jr’s one-third share of the estate, arguing that it should have passed down to them.

However, the court sided with the existing provisions of Frederick Ward Snr’s will, affirming his right to allocate his estate as he saw fit, even if that meant leaving a nominal sum to his grandchildren. This ruling underscores the legal recognition of an individual’s autonomy in deciding how their estate is divided, regardless of family expectations or perceived obligations.

This High Court decision brings closure to a bitter dispute that laid bare the complexities and emotional turmoil often associated with inheritance issues, highlighting the potential for familial relationships to be strained over matters of financial legacy.