08 January 2024 , 09:28
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Nigella Lawson was left a large percentage of her ex-Chancellor father's £326,489 estate.
Her Conservative Party MP and journalist father, Nigel Lawson, died in early April last year at the age of 91, months after retiring. He left behind five children, including food writer and celebrity chef Nigella, journalist Dominic Lawson and Thomas Lawson, the headmaster of Eastbourne College.
While Nigella, 64, received a chunk of the estate, her youngest brother got Nigel's ancient pots. Nigel left half to his second wife Thérèse Maclear - despite their divorcing 13 years before his death. The rest of his fortune was split between his children Nigella, Dominic, Tom, Horaria, and Emily.
According to the will, it is estimated Nigella would have got about £30,000. The grant of probate - issued on 18 September last year - stated the gross value of the estate was £333,268, but the net value was £326,489.
Nigel died aged 91 in April 2023 (Alan Davidson/REX/Shutterstock)Thomas, the executor of his will, received two Mycenaean pots from his father. The will read: “I give absolutely and free of all tax my two Mycenaean pots to my son said Thomas Nigel Maclear Lawson. Whether or not he shall prove my Will and act initially in its trusts.”
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The pots date back to the Ancient Greek period - 1750 to 1050 BC - and can be worth over £50,000. After the late politician's death, Nigella broke her silence with a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. She said: "Thank you for all your kind messages. And I’ll be back on here properly tomorrow."
Nigel represented the constituency of Blaby from 1974 to 1992 and served in the Cabinet of Margaret Thatcher from 1981 to 1989. Nigella was the daughter of Nigel and his firth wife Vanessa Salmon, who was heiress to the J. Lyons and Co. fortune. The TV chef's mother tragically died at the age of 48 from liver cancer in 1985 - when Nigella was just 25.
Nigella previously discussed feeling grateful about reaching the milestone of her 60th birthday as many of her loved ones died young. The star was married to the late journalist John Diamond, who died from cancer aged 47, and also lost her sister to the disease at a young age.
As a result, Nigella tragically said she did not make any plans to mark her 60th birthday. "I’m not a planner – apart from when it comes to food!” she said back in 2020. "But to be completely honest, I’ve never been able to take for granted that I’d be alive by this age.
“My mother died at 48 and my sister at 32. And then John at 47. So, even if I were the sort of person who planned ahead, I don’t think I would have seen myself here….”