Legal Challenge On Issue By Artist’s Son Fails

A High Court battle which has seen the son of artist Lucien Freud challenge a secret trust, purportedly created following his death, has put the concept firmly in the spotlight.

Paul Freud, 55, launched the legal challenge regarding a secret trust believed to be worth in the area of £42 million, which was left to a solicitor and one of the artist’s daughters.

In taking the legal action, the artist’s son claimed the part of the will related to the trust would be invalid if specific instructions were not left to the trustees, meaning the contents of the trust would be treated as if the artist had died intestate and been passed to relatives.

However, in a ruling, Deputy Judge Richard Spearman stated that the wording of the will meant that he favoured the trustee’s views of the situation and confirmed they were both entitled to the trust.