Highlights

• Matilda Ledger inherited Heath's $16.3 million estate after it was gifted to her by the family.
• The family feud over Heath Ledger's estate started long before his death in 2008.
• At 18 years old, Matilda Ledger lives a private life in New York City, keeping her late father Heath's legacy alive.

In 2008, we lost one of the most promising actors of this generation, Heath Ledger, at the age of 28. The Australian actor was known for starring in projects like 10 Things I Hate About You, Brokeback Mountain, and The Dark Knight, and his sudden death came as a shock to the entire industry. Heath passed away in the middle of the production of the film, The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus. In the 16 years since his death, not much has been said — but we can't help but wonder what happened to his estate and who inherited it. So, let's find out!

Updated April 2024: Since the article was originally published, Matilda Ledgder has turned 18, and her net worth is estimated to be $16 million.

Heath Ledger's Daughter, Matilda, Has Inherited All Of His Estate

Heath Ledger had only one child, Matilda, who was two years old at the time of her father's death. After the death of Heath, it was speculated that Matilda's mother and Heath's former partner, Michelle Williams, would lodge a claim, but that never happened.

"There is no claim," says Kim Ledger, Heath's father. "Our family has gifted everything to Matilda."

In addition, it was revealed that Ledger had signed a will in April 2003, over two years before the birth of his daughter. The will stated that everything he owned would go to his parents and his sisters.

Matilda has since inherited Heath's entire $16.3 million estate.

What Happened To Heath Ledger's Life Insurance?

Ledger's former attorney, John S. LaViolette, sued Minnesota-based ReliaStar Life Insurance after the company did not pay out a $10 million life insurance policy.

LaViolette filed the lawsuit in July 2008, six months after the actor's death, seeking money for Ledger's only daughter, Matilda.

"There's a young girl whose father died who is entitled to this money, and ReliaStar is doing everything it can to avoid paying," says LaViolette's attorney, William Shernoff. "There's not a shred of evidence it was suicide."

In January 2009, it was announced that both parties were able to reach an amicable settlement.

"The parties are pleased that they were able to reach an amicable settlement and solve the dispute,” said Shernoff.

Heath Ledger's Death Made A Family Feud Worse

Sometimes, the passing of a loved one can lead to a family feud over the estate. The Ledger family certainly was no exception to that, and it didn't even start after Heath's death. In fact, it started fifteen years before his death.

One of Heath's uncles, Mike, spoke with PEOPLE magazine in March 2008, where he said that his brother and Heath's father, Kim, didn't handle their grandfather's estate very well. In fact, because of that, he was removed as executor of the estate.

"It plunged into enormous debt," says Mike. “Our only vested interest is to assure that Matilda is well looked after.” Mike added.

Another brother of Kim, Hayden, said that Michelle Williams' father, Larry, asked if Kim was capable of handling Heath's estate.

"I just said, "No, not if he handles it like ours"," says Hayden.

The family feud began in 1993 when their grandfather, Sir Frank Ledger, a well-respected engineer, passed away. There were also court documents that revealed that Frank's daughters accused Kim of placing his own interests before that of the trust and using the assets to advance his business interests.

As of 2020, 27 years after Frank's death, Kim and his brothers have been estranged since the dispute.

Where Is Matilda Ledger Now?

Today, Matilda is 18 years old and seems to be living a normal life in New York City.

She became a big sister, as her mother, Michelle Williams, gave birth to two more children with Hamilton director, Thomas Kail.

Williams is notorious for keeping her family life private, which explains why we don't hear much about Matilda these days. Though, Michelle said in 2019 that she would always tell Matilda,

"Your dad loved me before anybody thought I was talented, or pretty, or had nice clothes."

It's clear that Heath Ledger's legacy is being kept alive by his daughter, who is practically the spitting image of the late actor. Who knows what the future will hold for Matilda? We will certainly try to keep up, despite her mother's attempts at privacy!

For now, she is living a normal life outside of the eye of the public. Meanwhile, her late father's legacy will continue to live on through her forever.