Prince’s massive £150m estate will go to his sister and five half-siblings, judge rules
The legend died at age 57 of an accidental, self-administered overdose of the powerful painkiller fentanyl
SIX of Prince's closest relatives are to share the tragic pop star's £150m music fortune, it was revealed today.
The long-awaited court decision comes more than a year after the music legend's death from an accidental drugs overdose.
Prince's sister, Tyka Nelson, and his half siblings, Omarr Baker, Alfred Jackson, Sharon Nelson, Norrine Nelson and John Nelson, were named as the musician's heirs by Minnesota Judge Kevin Eide.
Prince died at age 57 of an accidental, self-administered overdose of the powerful painkiller fentanyl in April 2016 at his Paisley Park Studios compound in the Minneapolis suburb of Chanhassen.
The creator of hits such as "Purple Rain" and "When Doves Cry," Prince did not leave behind a will, sparking a protracted legal battle over his estate, with dozens of people filing claims for cash.
The exact value of Prince's estate is unclear but believed to be around $200m (£150m).
He left behind some £20 million in properties alone, according to an inventory complied after his death by an asset management company.
If an appeal court rules that rejected claimants could have a claim, Judge Eide said he would still consider them, court documents said.
In December the a woman claiming to be Prince’s secret wife made a bid for the cash.
Claire Elisabeth Elliott filed a request for the court to remove Bremer Trust Bank as administrator of the star’s estate, because she believes she should be calling the shots as his “sole heir”.
But it now looks like her bid had floundered.
Last month, a US judge blocked a planned release of new Prince music.
The six-song EP "Deliverance" had been scheduled to be released on the first anniversary of Prince's death.
It would have marked the first in a series of planned posthumous releases of material by Prince from the huge vault of discarded or unfinished material he reportedly left behind.
Paisley Park now operates as a museum, with displays of Prince's flamboyant concert wardrobe as well as his instruments and motorcycle collection.