Prince William, 15, and Prince Harry, 13, face a 40 percent tax bill on her estate, which reportedly is worth $35.5 million. After her 1996 divorce from Charles, Diana did not change her will to take into account her new wealth a $28.7 million settlement, plus interest. Diana had earlier estimated her wealth at a mere $1.7 million.
Because the settlement was based on a life expectancy of 85 and Diana died only a year after the divorce lawyers for Prince Charles considered trying to get a court to overturn the settlement and return the money to her ex-husband, who would put it in a trust for his sons. A spokeswoman for the Prince of Wales said: "We are keen that all tax dealings should be seen as straightforward and that there should be no question of the Royal Family receiving preferential treatment."