Here's Who Inherited Christopher Lee's Money After He Died
Christopher Lee lived a life that few have had the ability to lead. He came from an upper class family with a long royal background, and in his late teens began his military career with both Finland and his native Britain. Per Screen Rant, his step-cousin and fellow World War II veteran Ian Fleming conceived the character James Bond. Later in life, Lee was forced by his future father-in-law to get the king of Sweden's blessing before proposing to his wife (via Cheat Sheet). Lee's film career led to massive fame in stand-alone films like "Dracula" and "The Curse of Frankenstein," as well as franchises that included James Bond, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars.
He was also an accomplished theater actor, author, and even heavy metal singer — his final album "Charlemagne: The Omens of Death" (centered on the historical French king, from whom he is descended through his mother, according to Vice) was released in 2013. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Christopher Lee had a net worth of $25 million by the time of his death in 2015 — a considerable amount of wealth given his career. Yet, the size of his actual wealth is not well understood.
Lee's wife inherited his wealth
The only known amount of money tied to Christopher Lee in the aftermath of his death was £48,221 ($63,772), the actor's estate in Britain. All of this money was evidently put toward his outstanding expenses and probate (a legal process whereby a will is accepted as a legal document and the executor is given authority to enact it, which can be very costly in the U.K. per AFG Law). According to the Daily Mail, there was barely any money left after paying these costs.
However, it turns out that most of Lee's assets were in the United States, which had been his residence for many years (via Dupont and Blumenstiel Law). The 93-year-old was survived by his wife and daughter, the former having been the one to inherit his assets. How much these amounted to is virtually unknown, with the executor of his will's assertion that he lived a "comfortable lifestyle" in the U.S. not being too helpful.