Though music icon Prince died back in 2016, his mammoth $156.4 million (£131.2m) estate was only settled this year as the singer died without leaving a will.

Read on to discover other famous faces who passed away before getting their affairs in order and find out what happened to their fortunes. 

 

 

Famous for her winged eyeliner, huge hair, and soulful songs, Amy Winehouse led a troubled life. The British songstress was just 27 years old when she passed away from accidental alcohol poisoning.

Prior to her death, Winehouse had recently parted ways with her husband Blake Fielder-Civil. While many believed Winehouse would have adjusted her will to ensure her estranged spouse didn’t receive any of her fortune, it turned out she didn’t have a will at all.

With no will in place, the singer’s parents – with whom she had a reported rocky relationship – inherited her fortune, which many believed would be in the $15-$20 million (£12.6k-£16.8k) range.

But despite having a string of successful hits and Grammy Awards to her name, her estate, after debts and taxes, totaled just $4.66 million (£3.9m). With her father, Mitch Winehouse (pictured), appointed administrator of her estate, ex Fielder-Civil didn’t receive a penny. 

Regarded as one of the world’s most influential electric guitarists, the rocker passed away tragically young in 1970, aged just 27. Perhaps because of his young age, the star left no will.

Despite having only been a professional musician for four years, Hendrix had amassed quite a fortune. But who would claim it? 

The late musician’s fortune was managed by his father, Al Hendrix. When he passed away in 2002, he entrusted sole control of the $80 million (£67.2m) estate to Jimi’s sister Janie. What has ensued is a constant stream of legal battles between Hendrix’s siblings.

In 2004, Jimi’s younger brother Leon contested Al’s will, with the state eventually ruling in favour of Janie in 2007. Despite that, legal battles over licencing and the use of Hendrix's trademark have continued to rage on.

One half of the famous Sonny and Cher duo, Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono, was 62 when he made headlines for his shock death after sustaining fatal injuries in a skiing accident in 1998.

It was soon revealed that the singer turned congressman had no will, and so the legal battle ensued. 

Despite once being married to singer Cher, at the time of his death, the star was married to Mary Bono, who had to go through probate court to become the executor of her husband’s estate. Cher then sued the estate for unpaid alimony.

There was more drama when a lovechild also threw his hat in the legal ring, trying to claim a slice of Bono’s fortune. He later withdrew his claim, and the estate was divided between Sonny's two kids, Chaz (pictured) and Christy. 

Adam Goldstein, aka DJ AM, passed away in 2009 aged 36 from a drug overdose.

The turntablist, who was once engaged to Nicole Richie, tragically survived a plane crash the previous year, which killed four people and seriously injured Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker. The star left no will.

With no wife or children at the time of his death, Goldstein’s mother, Andrea Gross, applied to the courts to be named the sole heir of the DJ’s estate.

The court documents listed Goldstein as having $3.5 million (£2.9m) in property and $400,000 (£336.1k) in personal assets with $2.9 million (£2.4m) in debts. Goss was successful and inherited her son’s fortune. 

The king of reggae music tragically died of cancer in 1981 at the age of 36.

His chilled out persona on stage was also the way he lived his life. When he passed, it was discovered the musician had no will in place. 

Under Jamaican law, his estate was to be divided among his wife, Rita, and 11 children – which would leave his widow with a fairly small share. After years of ugly court battles, Rita (pictured with sons Stephen, Julian, and Damien) and her family were finally awarded Marley’s name and likeness.

According to Forbes, Marley is one of the highest-earning dead celebrities, bringing in $16 million (£13.4m) alone in 2021.

Swedish author Stieg Larsson garnered worldwide fame with his hit bestselling books including The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which spawned a Hollywood film version.

Sadly, the author passed away in 2004, aged 50, from a heart attack. Despite his penmanship skills, Larsson never wrote a will.

With no will in place, Larsson’s estate went, by default, to his distant brother and father. Devastatingly, his partner of 32 years, Eva Gabrielsson (pictured), received nothing as the two never married.

In the years since his death, Gabrielsson has tried unsuccessfully to challenge the estate. And she has publically spoken out about her disappointment in the sale of film rights for the book and another author being allowed to finish Larsson’s incomplete fourth novel. 

The world was shocked when hit music-maker Prince died suddenly aged 57. But what was even more shocking was the admission from Tyka Nelson, the Purple Rain singer’s younger sister, that the star didn’t leave a will. 

So what happened to the star's $156.4 million (£131.2m) fortune? 

 

 

Following six years of legal battles, Prince's estate was only settled this year. 

His fortune is to be split almost equally between music publishing company Primary Wave and his three oldest surviving heirs and their families. 

 

The former NFL quarterback made headlines in 2009 when he was murdered by his girlfriend. At just 36, the pro athlete left behind a wife and four children from two different relationships.

After his death, it was revealed that although McNair had drafted two or three wills, he had never signed them, leaving who would inherit his $20 million (£16.8m) estate up in the air. 

Under Tennessee state law, McNair’s wife only received a portion of his fortune, with the remaining balance split between their two children and the two children McNair had from a previous relationship.

His mother, whom McNair had reportedly bought a house for, was entitled to nothing. 

Though many conspiracy theorists believe Tupac Shakur is still alive, the rap superstar was fatally gunned down in 1996, aged 25.

The shocking and sudden murder left the musician’s affairs up in the air. With no will in place, who would lay claim to his multi-million-dollar fortune?

With no wife or kids, Tupac’s entire estate went to his mother, Afeni Shakur (pictured). Prior to his death, he bought her a six-bedroom home and also gave her a reported $16,000 (£13.4k) monthly allowance.

Upon inheriting Tupac’s estate, Afeni also inherited her son’s legal woes, including a fight with his record label, Death Row Records, and a fan who was shot and partially paralysed at one of his concerts. Tupac’s estranged father also tried – unsuccessfully – to grab a share of his estate. 

The former US president didn’t have a will when he was assassinated in 1865.

Lincoln, who famously abolished slavery during his time in power, was actually a lawyer, so many were surprised he hadn’t thought to look after his estate.

 

Lincoln left behind a wife and four children, between whom his assets were divided upon his death.

In 1994, at the tender age of 27, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain tragically committed suicide. At the height of their fame in the early 1990s, Nirvana generated $4.4 million (£3.7m) in revenue.

Despite his incredible wealth, the singer had no written will and so his wife, Courtney Love, became the primary beneficiary of the publishing rights to his estate, which included 98% of Nirvana’s music. 

In 2006, Love sold a stake in those rights for a reported $50 million (£41.9m). Then, in 2010, Love reportedly relinquished rights to Cobain's name and likeness in exchange for a $2.75 million (£2.3m) loan from the trust of the couple's only child, Frances Bean Cobain (pictured).

The same year, Frances Bean, then 18, took control of her trust fund, representing more than a third of Cobain's estate. The latest reports suggest the estate is worth around $450 million (£377.7m).

Unlike the others on this list, when filmmaker, aviator, and business tycoon Howard Hughes passed away in 1976, there was a handwritten will.

Produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City, the will left $1.56 billion (£1.2bn) to several charities, $470 million (£394.4mm) to executives of his companies, $156 million (£130.9m) to his first cousin, William Lummiss, and $156 million (£130.9m) to be split between his two ex-wives.

It seemed straightforward enough, but there was one odd addition. Melvin Dummar (pictured), a gas station owner, was to be left $156 million (£130.9m).

He claimed he had once given Hughes a ride to Las Vegas in 1967, then one day an unknown man dropped off the will and Dummar delivered it to the church. A trial in 1978 determined the will was forged and the estate was divided between 22 intestate heirs.

Infamous for his smooth and soulful voice, singing superstar Barry White did in fact write a will, but failed to update it before he passed away in 2003, aged 58.

The singer, who died of kidney failure, left behind two ex-wives, eight children, and a girlfriend. 

White’s girlfriend at the time, Katherine Denton, gave birth to a daughter four weeks before the singer’s death, but with no updated will, she didn’t get a penny.

Denton went on to claim she was entitled to a share in the estimated $20 million (£16.8m) estate, but White’s family wouldn’t budge, demanding a paternity test, which eventually proved the young child was not White's. The money was then divided between his eight children. 

When world-renowned artist Pablo Picasso died in 1973, aged 91, he left behind multimillion dollar assets but no will. It’s thought his estate included five homes, gold, bonds and some 45,000 works of art.

Sadly, it took six years of bitter court battles to settle his estate, which at the time was worth around $30 million (£25.2m). In 1980, the Picasso estate was appraised at $250 million (£209.8m), but experts have said the true value was actually in the billions.

His assets were eventually divided among six heirs. In 1996, Claude Picasso, the son of Picasso and his mistress, Francoise Gilot, was named legal administrator of Picasso’s estate by a French court.

He went on to create the Picasso Administration, a Paris-based organisation that managed the heirs' jointly-owned interests. 

Soul singer Marvin Gaye was tragically shot dead by his own father in 1984, just a day short of his 45th birthday.

Gaye left behind no will, and to further complicate matters, the music legend was $9.2 million (£7.7m) in debt at the time of his passing. 

Thankfully, with the help of a bankruptcy attorney, the family managed to salvage the late singer's intellectual property and pay off the debts. 

As per California law, his fortune was then divided between his three children, who continue to reap the benefits today.

When country crooner John Denver died unexpectedly in a plane crash in 1997 at 53, he left behind no will. 

The famed philanthropist had reportedly wanted his property to be made into an animal or environmental sanctuary upon his death. 

 

 

However, as he never penned a will, his ex-wife, Annie Martell (pictured), gained control of his assets.

Rather than follow Denver's wishes, Martell instead decided to divide his assets equally between his three children. 

 

 

 

When hip-hop icon Nate Dogg passed away suddenly from a stroke in 2011, aged 41, the untimely manner of his death meant he passed without leaving a will. 

Nate Dogg’s wife, LaToya Calvin, filed to take control of his estate and appointed the late rapper’s mother, Ruth Homes, as co-administrator. This sparked a bitter legal battle between the two women and the rapper’s six children.

The children believed that if Calvin and Homes gained control of their father’s estate, they’d not receive any money. 

In the end, the two women threw in the towel to avoid further conflict, and Nate Dogg’s estate was divided equally among his children.