Princess Diana, the People’s Princess, was more than a global icon of grace and compassion; she was a shrewd guardian of her sons’ futures. In the turbulent years from 1993 to 1997—amid her high-profile separation from Prince Charles and her relentless humanitarian pursuits—Diana meticulously built a private savings fund estimated at around £14 million (roughly $20 million in today’s terms).
This wasn’t just any nest egg; it was a deliberate act of maternal foresight, tucked away in trusts to shield Princes William and Harry from the uncertainties of royal life. Drawing from her £17 million divorce settlement, personal investments, jewelry, and even royalties from her image, Diana envisioned this as a bulwark for her boys, ensuring financial independence in a world where thrones could crumble.
Yet, as the world mourned her tragic death in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, a veil of mystery descended over this fortune. Diana’s will, drafted in 1993 and amended in 1996, directed the bulk of her £21 million estate—netting £13 million after inheritance taxes—to be split equally between her 15-year-old William and 12-year-old Harry. The funds were to be held in trust, with full access originally slated for their 25th birthdays. But executors—Diana’s mother, Frances Shand Kydd, and sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale—petitioned for a secretive variance, delaying payouts until age 30. This allowed the brothers to draw interest from 25 onward, reportedly £450,000 annually each, but the principal remained locked away, growing through savvy royal investments into a compounded £20 million pot by maturity.
Prince William, now the Prince of Wales, accessed his share seamlessly on his 30th birthday in 2011. But for Harry, turning 30 in 2014 amid personal upheavals, the revelation was bittersweet. In candid reflections shared in his memoir Spare and interviews, Harry disclosed receiving only half of what Diana had earmarked—approximately £6.5 million instead of the full £10 million share. “I got a fraction of what she intended,” he implied, echoing the raw disbelief of a son piecing together a mother’s unfinished puzzle.
The shortfall? Attributed to estate taxes, administrative fees, and the Queen Mother’s intervening £14 million bequest, which Harry largely claimed to offset his non-heir status. Still, whispers persist: Where did the rest vanish? Diana’s godchildren received mementos, her butler Paul Burrell £50,000, and charities like the one aiding AIDS patients and landmine victims siphoned portions for her causes. Yet, Harry has voiced bewilderment over an untapped remainder, a shadowy “book of savings” from those mid-90s years, never labeled with recipients.
This unresolved fragment fuels speculation. Was it earmarked for Diana’s secret charities, her 17 godchildren, or perhaps a future family fund? The trust documents, sealed in probate courts, bear no names on that enigmatic ledger, preserving Diana’s privacy even in death. Today, as Harry navigates life in California with Meghan and their children, this half-legacy symbolizes more than money—it’s a poignant echo of a mother’s unfulfilled dreams. Diana, ever the rebel against royal rigidity, might have chuckled at the irony: her gift, meant to liberate, remains partly chained in secrecy. For William and Harry, it’s a reminder that some treasures, like their mother’s love, defy full accounting. As the Windsors evolve, this royal riddle endures, inviting us to ponder: What other secrets does the House of Windsor still guard?
