The last will and testament of the Duke of Edinburgh will remain private.
The decision was made at the High Court in London on September 16th 2021. It means there will be no public access to his will for at least ninety years.
The will will remain private to protect ”the dignity” of the Queen because of her constitutional role. In this ruling, Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, said that the constitutional position of the Sovereign meant ”it is appropriate to have a special practice in relation to Royal wills.There is a need to enhance the protection afforded to truly private aspects of the lives of this limited group of individuals in order to maintain the dignity of the Sovereign and close members of Her family.”
The ruling also states ”there is a public interest in protecting the private rights of the Sovereign and close members of the Royal Family. The content of a person’s will and the details of their estate are plainly entirely private matters. Whilst much of the life of a member of the Royal Family will be taken up with public activities, both they and the Sovereign Herself are also private individuals.”
Prince Philip died on April 9th 2021 at Windsor Castle at the age of 99. He was buried at St. George’s Chapel on April 17th.
