In 2023, Taylor Swift’s hit song ‘Anti Hero’ made reference to a Will reading. The lines “she thinks I left them in the Will, the family gathers round and reads it” seems to allude to a family meeting where the contents of the Will is read to everyone at once.
Similarly, on New Years day in 2024, Harlan Coben’s much anticipated series ‘Fool me once’ began streaming on Netflix. It soon reached the No 1 series in the UK, where it remained for three weeks. In the drama Michelle Keegan’s character, Maya, attends her late husbands family mansion along with her husbands other surviving family members to meet with their Solicitor to hear the contents of his Will.
But is this what happens in real life?
In reality, in the UK, there is no such thing as a formal ‘Will reading’. Opposed to gripping dramas showing the whole family being present to hear the contents of a Will, in the majority of cases Wills are actually only read by a small number of people and in private.
This begs the question, who can read the Will and when?
If a person is still alive only they have the absolute right to read their own Will. They can of course give permission for others to see and read their Will. No one should attempt to read or obtain a persons Will without their consent.
After a person dies the Executor named in the Will is the only person who must read the Will. It is their responsibility to ensure that the persons wishes are carried out and that the Estate is dealt with appropriately. The Executor then has discretion to show the Will to other people.
Beneficiaries, those named to receive gifts in Wills are not entitled to see the whole Will, but should be informed about their entitlement by the Executor. A beneficiary is also not entitled to be told who the other beneficiaries named in the Will are.
That said, the original Will does need to be sent to the Probate Registry when applying for a Grant of Probate. Once approved the Will does become public record, which anyone can request sight of for a small fee.
Sadly for drama lovers out there, like the TV shows, movies and books that they are mentioned in, Will readings are in fact a thing of fiction.
For more information on Wills, please contact Hannah Mycock on 01663 743 344 or by email at our New Mills office click here
