Rolf Harris' widow leaves huge fortune to daughter in final will despite scandal

The widow of disgraced entertainer Rolf Harris left nearly £4 million in her will, newly released documents reveal.

Alwen Hughes, a respected sculptor and jewellery designer, passed away in August 2023 at the age of 92, just over a year after the death of her husband. The couple had been married since 1958 and remained together even after Harris was convicted in 2014 of indecent assault against young girls.

Hughes, who lived in Maidenhead, Berkshire, died following a stroke. She had also been suffering from vascular dementia in her later years.

According to probate records, Hughes' estate was valued at £3,975,950, with a net worth of £3,840,532 after deductions. The administration of her estate has been handled by Ian John Sydenham of Manchester-based law firm DWF.

Her will, signed in July 2018, while Harris was still alive, originally included provisions for her husband. However, following his death in May 2023 from neck cancer at the age of 93, their daughter became the main beneficiary.

Their only child, Bindi Harris, who now goes by Ava, received the bulk of her mother's estate. It's understood she changed her name in a bid to distance herself from her father's tainted legacy and to pursue her own reputation in the art world.

Other family members were also named in Hughes' will, according to reports.

Hughes had stood by Harris throughout his highly publicised court proceedings and prison sentence. She and their daughter attended his initial trial daily, showing unwavering support. Harris was released from prison in 2017 after serving nearly three years and lived a quiet, reclusive life thereafter.

A friend of the family, singer Vince Hill, previously described Hughes as "very poorly" during the height of the scandal, adding, "I don't know if she will survive his prison term. She's quite fragile. She suffers from arthritis and she's had hip replacements and God knows what."

Harris, once a household name known for hits like Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport and Jake the Peg, as well as a prolific career in children's television, also famously painted Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday portrait.