Heath Ledger died on January 22, 2008, the victim of a combination of prescription drugs that stopped his heart. The death certificate of the 28 year old ruled his untimely death an accidental drug overdose. The memorial services in Los Angeles and his funeral and internment in Australia are complete and the estate is in probate.
Michelle Williams and their daughter Matilda Rose Ledger, 2, were not mentioned in the will that Ledger had drawn up prior to his relationship with the actress. Ledger’s father Kim is named executor of Heath’s estate with the proceeds to be divided between parents Kim and Sally and Heath’s sisters. The elder Ledger has reportedly told the press that Michelle and Matilda would be well cared for regardless.
Now an interesting twist has surfaced. According to Sidney Daily Telegraph, Heath may have an 11 year old love child who was conceived when the actor was a 17 year old school boy at Guildford Grammar in Perth. He had a brief affair with a 25 year old who was living with another boyfriend during their interlude. The dalliance, as the story is being told, had ended by the time the woman learned she was pregnant. Ledger was apparently never aware of the possibility that he could have fathered a child with her. The woman’s friends and neighbors just assumed that the child was fathered by the live in boyfriend.
The 36 year old woman, who is now married and has a young family of children, has apparently decided to interject her child into the ever growing list of people who have a desire to benefit from the proceeds of the Ledger estate. One of Ledger’s uncle’s believes that there may be some credence to the paternity claims being made by the woman. Interesting that she would wait 11 years to come forward with her claims. The allure of money can bring even the most timid to the forefront.