Aretha Franklin's children battle over handwritten wills 5 years after her death

06 July 2023 , 16:56

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Five years after Aretha Franklin's death her estate is still being fought over. (Image: Redferns)

Aretha Franklin's estate has not yet been settled five years after her passing due to multiple handwritten wills.

Next Monday, courts in Michigan will determine how to handle the Queen of Soul's estate and final wishes. She had no formal or typed will in place, leaving the family baffled about what to do.

Two handwritten wills were found at her Detroit home months after her death, with one being found in a notebook between couch cushions and the other in a cabinet. The will found in the cabinet dates back to 2010 and lists Aretha's niece, Sabrina Owens, and Aretha's son, Ted White II, as co-executors of her estate.

It's said two of her other sons, Kecalf and Edward Franklin, "must take business classes and get a certificate or a degree" in order to benefit from the diva's estate.

Two handwritten wills are in question, one from 2010 and one from 2014 (AP)

Naturally, Ted believes that the 2010 document should dictate how the estate is handled. Kecalf and Edward, however, think the 2014 will has a better deal in store for them.

Aretha Franklin will row takes turn as jury makes decision on note found in sofa

Found in a couch cushion in 2019, the more recent handwritten will lists Kecalf as the executor and does not mention business classes. Kecalf would inherit his mother's home in Bloomfield Hills, valued at $1.1 million at her time of death. This will also allows Aretha's gowns to be auctioned or given to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

Both wills agree on one thing, Aretha's oldest son, Clarence, who has unspecified needs, must be regularly supported. Now it's the battle of the brothers as they go to court to determine which will holds up legally.

Aretha's sons are fighting over which handwritten will should take precedent (AP)

"Two inconsistent wills cannot both be admitted to probate. In such cases the most recent will revokes the previous will," said Charles McKelvie, a lawyer for Kecalf according to Associated Press.

Kurt Olsen, Ted's attorney, disagrees with McKelvie since the older will was notarised and signed. He describes the 2014 will as "merely a draft."

The brothers are fighting over what's estimated to be $4.1 million in assets after $8.1 million was paid in taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.

Aretha Franklin gave birth to her oldest son Clarence when she was just 12 in 1955. In 1957, she gave birth to Edward who was fathered by Edward Jordan. Ted was born from Aretha's first marriage to the senior Ted White. Her youngest son Kecalf was born in April 1970.

Aretha passed away at age 76 in 2018 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. The "Respect" singer was transported to a Detroit museum in a 1940 Cadillac hearse after her death and had thousands of visitors mourning her.

Tatiana Krisztina