Heath fathered 'love child' | NEWS.com.au
Heath fathered 'love child'
THE feud surrounding late actor Heath Ledger's will has taken a mysterious turn, with members of his family claiming he may have secretly fathered a love child.
The Hollywood star is believed to have been 17 when he had an affair with an older woman.
The mother - in a relationship with another man at the time - is thought to have only learned she was pregnant after the affair with Ledger ended.
Ledger's uncle, Haydn Ledger, yesterday confirmed there was a "real possibility" his nephew had fathered a girl with the woman.
Family sources said the girl was raised by the woman and the other man, although there were suspicions about the child's father.
Ledger's parents Kim Ledger and Sally Bell yesterday refused to comment on the latest scandal.
If the claims are confirmed, it could split his multi-million dollar estate between daughter Matilda Rose and the love child.
Ledger, who died alone in his New York apartment in January from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, drew up his will before the birth of Matilda, on whom he doted.
The April 2003 will lists only $145,000 in assets and names the late actor's father, Kim, mother Sally Bell, sister Kate Ledger and half sisters Olivia Ledger and Ashleigh Bell as the only beneficiaries.
The New York documents also acknowledge Matilda Rose, as Ledger's only known child, as an interested party.
Heath was still at school at Guildford Grammar when he began the affair with the woman, then aged 25.
Yesterday another family source said: "She had the baby. Everyone lived under the assumption that she was the daughter of the mother's boyfriend and that is how she has been brought up."
The woman is now married with a young family.
Ledger's death has exposed the bitter rift in the family between father Kim and his estranged brothers, Haydn, Mike and Wayne.
The family feud began when Kim became executor of their grandfather, Sir Frank Ledger's estate over 20 years ago.
He borrowed heavily against the $2 million estate, leaving it heavily in debt before he was removed as executor by the WA Supreme Court in 1994.
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Wow! This all gets more stranger and bitter by the minute!
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