A prince left the family emeralds to his mistress in 1910, and every senior British royal will has been sealed since

Prince Francis of Teck, brother of Queen Mary, died in 1910. His will named his mistress, the Countess of Kilmorey, as sole heir and left her the Cambridge emeralds, family jewels. Queen Mary asked the court to seal the will to avoid scandal, and the President of the Probate Division did so in 1911. She bought the emeralds back from the countess for £10,000 and wore them at the Delhi Durbar. Every senior royal will since then has been sealed. In 2022 the Guardian counted more than 30 sealed royal wills. After Prince Philip died in 2021, Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, ordered his will sealed for 90 years after a hearing attended only by the estate's lawyers and the Attorney General. He said publicity would harm the dignity of the monarchy. The Guardian challenged the private hearing; the Court of Appeal dismissed its case in 2022. In 2023 the court published a procedure for opening royal wills after 90 years. In 2024 Francis of Teck's will and eight others were opened.