Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Larry King’s widow disputes handwritten will that would divide TV legend’s estate between his children

Former talk show host’s family in legal battle over his estate

Ellie Harrison
Wednesday 17 February 2021 10:08 GMT
Comments
Larry King’s most iconic interviews

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Larry King’s widow, Shawn Southwick King, has begun a legal challenge against her late husband’s handwritten will, which purports to divide the TV legend’s estate among his children.

Southwick King argues that the former talk show host had “questionable mental capacity” at the time the will was signed in October 2019 – which was two months after he filed for divorce and 15 months before he died of sepsis in January this year.

According to Southwick King’s lawyers, King had just suffered a stroke when he wrote the will and was susceptible to “outside influences”.

At the time of King’s death, aged 87, his divorce had not been finalised. He was survived by Southwick King and their two children, Cannon and Chance, as well as by Larry King Jr, a son from a previous relationship.

The will – a picture of which has been published by US insider site Variety – states that King wanted “100% of my funds to be divided equally among my children”.

Read more - Larry King death: TV giant dies aged 87

King had five children when he wrote the will. Two of them – Chaia and Andy – died weeks apart in 2020.

The handwritten will contradicts the will King signed in 2015, in which his then-wife was named executor of the estate and the sole trustee of the King Family Trust, which appears to hold the bulk of her husband’s assets, Variety reports.

Larry Jr argues that his father and Southwick King were no longer together at the time of his death and were living separately after their house had been sold.

Read more - Larry King death: Tributes to ‘television legend’ after death aged 87

But Southwick King’s lawyers said: “After the [divorce] filing, the parties had gone to counseling, were still speaking, and reconciliation remained possible until Larry’s health conditions made that impractical.”

A hearing has been set for 24 February in Los Angeles County probate court.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in