Rolf Harris, who passed away in 2023, left behind a huge fortune in his will, and his daughter, Bindi Harris, became the main beneficiary.
The disgraced TV star died aged 93 in May 2023 from neck cancer and left behind a whopping £16 million fortune. Earlier this week, it was then revealed that his wife and mum to Bindi, Alwen Hughes, left behind a staggering £4 million.
Alwen, who remained by Harris’ side through his trial and conviction for the abuse of young girls, died in August 2022, aged 92. Documents reveal that at the time of her death, Alwen’s estate was worth £3,975,950, which was later reduced to £3,840,532 after deductions.
Her will, drawn up in 2018, included provisions for her husband despite his conviction and named their daughter, Bindi, as the main beneficiary. But who is Bindi, and what has she said about her late father?
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After her father’s death in 2023, Bindi did everything to move away from her father’s legacy. She even changed her name and now works as an artist under the pseudonym Ava Reeves.
It’s said to have been difficult for Ava to have her work taken seriously, but she seems to finally be getting somewhere. A source close to the family reportedly told The Sun: “Obviously, anything by a Harris is pretty much unsellable so Bindi is working under the pseudonym in a bid to be taken seriously in the art world. She’s chuffed that galleries have begun to take on some of her pieces.”
But her path hasn’t been easy. Ava stood by her father during his trial and attended court with her mother, even though one of his victims, 13, was Ava’s close friend. Other victims included an eight-year-old child seeking an autograph and two girls in their early teens.
Ava’s testimony during the trial painted a picture of a strained relationship, revealing how Harris’ fame and personal flaws left her feeling neglected and isolated. Despite this, her support for her father during his trial was unwavering.
Jurors read an email during his trial where Ava laid bare her money worries and begged her dad to either confirm or deny whether she would inherit his £11 million fortune, or if he planned to give it to someone else.
In court, Ava spoke about the emotional toll of growing up with a father who was often absent, both physically and emotionally. She told the court that Harris was “switched off” when he was away from television cameras and adoring fans.
“Dad didn’t really take much notice of me or anybody at home,” she said. “I think when he is out in the world he wants to give everyone his time and everyone is new and he can tell new jokes. But when he is at home he is very much switched off, very quiet, quite often working, making something.”
Harris once admitted in an interview with Piers Morgan that he went away for work immediately after Bindi’s birth, leaving Alwen alone. “I didn’t know I could pull out of the contract. You don’t at that age… it’s an awful sadness,” he said.
Her resentment of her father’s fame was made clear in an interview with the Guardian in 2003, when she said that she’d previously banned pictures of Harris from her home to stop guests asking about him. She kept photos of her dad off the walls to avoid “utterly tedious” conversations about her parentage.
Bindi told the publication: “As a child, I got fed-up with everyone going on and on about Dad because he was on telly and because they imagined he was painting paintings on my walls, being funny all the time. It simply wasn’t true – he was always busy, rushing off, giving his all to everyone else in the world.”
But Bindi’s support of her father ultimately ended her relationship with long-term partner Malcolm Cox, who told the court they split because he was concerned their son wouldn’t be safe around his famous grandfather. In a draft of Bindi’s book in 2018, which had the working title Living With A Pervert, she tried to explain that her dad was from a different era and justify his vile actions.
In another step moving further away from her father’s legacy, last month, the Harris’ mansion was put up for sale, two years after Harris’s death. The riverside property in Berkshire was quietly listed with an asking price of £4 million.
A source close to the family revealed that Ava was determined to get a good price for the property, though she wasn’t desperate for the money. “She wants to sell it, but she doesn’t desperately need the money and is in no rush, so she’s determined to hold out for a good price. Potential buyers have already begun viewings,” the insider said.
After Moscow released its own list of prisoners it wanted released, Dmitry Peskov told Interfax on Thursday that the list had been received.
In what would be the largest swap of the war, talks last week in Istanbul, Turkey, reached agreement on the deal, which will give each side 1, 000 POWs.
Since the start of the war in 2022, those discussions included the first direct peace negotiations between Russian and Ukrainian delegations.
Ukraine had requested a 30-day ceasefire before the meeting, but Moscow only approved the prisoner swap.
Since then, Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of purposefully stifling peace negotiations to consolidate its territorial gains.
The major prisoner swap is a “quite laborious process” that “requires some time,” according to Peskov, who added that “the work is proceeding at a quick pace.”
According to the Kremlin spokesperson, “everyone wants to do it right away.”
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, claimed on Thursday that the agreement to release “1, 000 of our people from Russian captivity” was perhaps the only tangible outcome of the meeting in Turkiye.
In a post on X, he wrote, “We are working to ensure that this result is achieved.”
Rustem Umerov, the president’s personal office, and several Ukrainian government ministries are supporting the exchange process, Zelenskyy added.
One of Ukraine’s top priorities, Zelenskyy said, is the return of all of our citizens from Russian captivity. Everyone who makes a contribution to this project is a blessing to me.
As Ukraine, the European Union, and the United States press Moscow to resume negotiations, Peskov refuted reports of upcoming Vatican peace talks, saying, “There is no concrete agreement about the next meetings.”
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and US President Donald Trump reaffirmed their commitment to putting an end to the “bloodbath.”
Putin thanked Trump for backing resuming direct negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, and declared that his country would “propose and is willing to collaborate with the Ukrainian side on a memo on a possible future peace agreement.”
Meanwhile, the Russian defense ministry announced on Thursday that its air defenses shot down 105 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 35 over the Moscow region.
Between late Tuesday and early Thursday, the ministry reported that it shot 485 Ukrainian drones over a number of regions and the Black Sea.
Oleksandr Prokudin, the governor of Kherson in southern Ukraine, added on Thursday that a Russian artillery attack in the area claimed the lives of one person.
Eleven people were hurt in 35 areas in the Kherson region, including the city of Kherson, over the past day when they were attacked with artillery shells and air attacks.
The modest lodging room where one the world’s greatest novelists, Jane Austen, breathed her last breath has been opened to the public for the first time in Winchester, Hampshire.
Normally crowds of Jane Austen fans from all over the world gather outside the cream-coloured walls of this hallowed Georgian building at No 8 College Street to pay homage to their favourite author, whose six witty novels such as Sense & Sensibility captured a slice of 18th century English life and spawned a global romantic industry in Hollywood films, BBC period dramas and spin-off TV series.
Normally the closest fans have been able to get over the years has been to take photos of the memorial plaque to Jane that hangs above the door at No 8, but have never been allowed to step foot inside.
Now the hand-written note stuck to the wall outside reminding tourists that it is a private residence has been torn down, and the simple lodgings rooms where Jane spent three months before her untimely death, aged 41, has been opened for just 28 days to the public to mark the 250th anniversary of the author’s birth.
On 18 July 1817, Jane had a seizure after a long unknown illness and died with her head in her beloved sister Cassandra’s lap upstairs in the lodging house, just five minutes walk from the Winchester Cathedral where she is buried.
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Born the seventh child of eight in 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire, where her father was rector, Jane famously never wed after her first love Irish lawyer Tom Lefroy (played by James McAvoy in the 2007 film Becoming Jane with Anne Hathaway) departed for Dublin and wed a wealthy woman.
The author, who just before her death had begun to enjoy a minor celebrity despite publishing her books anonymously, only earned around £650 in her lifetime (the equivalent of £40,000 today) from her work, and was used to living relatively modestly compared to her wealthy brothers.
Jane and her sister and mother lived in Chawton Cottage, 10 miles from Winchester, which was one of many properties owned by her rich brother Edward, who had an annual income of £15,000 – even grander than Mr Darcy’s £10,000 a year in Jane’s most famous work, Pride & Prejudice.
Guiding the first tour of its kind in the house, Adam Rattray, head of history of art at Winchester College, which owns the property, explains how historians and architects have been able to peel back the layers of history in the house to recreate what it would have looked like in Jane’s time.
“Jane had been unwell for many months and when she arrived in Winchester on May 24, she was suffering from an unknown disease – possibly Addison’s or Lupus. She had a blotchy face and she had not left her house in a long time and came to the city for medical treatment from Giles King Lyford, surgeon-general at county hospital.
“In her last letters to her nephew, Jane wrote about her ‘comfortable lodgings, including the neat little drawing room with a bow window overlooking Dr Gabell’s garden,’ who was the master of the college. And how she mainly spent her days on a sofa, which we have replicated with a piece of furniture from the period covered with ticking.
“The house virtually remained untouched for years so much of the cornicing is original, and we have matched the same coloured green paint we found on the walls downstairs, and the grey, terracotta and cream of Jane’s lodgings.”
Sadly Jane never recovered and a day before she died, when asked by her sister what she needed, she replied, “Only death itself.”
Her last tragic words were, “God grant me patience, Pray for me, Oh pray for me.”
Jane was buried with just four male members of her family in attendance, as women did not attend funerals at the time. And her heartbroken sister Cassandra could only watch from the window upstairs in the lodging house as the funeral cortege carrying Jane passed on the way to her final resting place.
Cassandra, who was played by Keeley Hawes in the recent BBC period drama Miss Austen, wrote later, “I watched the little mournful procession the length of the street and when it turned from my sight… I had lost her forever,” before leaving the house never to return.
The opening of the house where Jane died is part of a summer-long celebration of the Hampshire city’s most famous resident, including a display in the City Museum of Jane’s belongings such as her beautiful silk pelisse – or coat – which shows Jane stood about 5ft 7-tall and was a size six in modern UK sizing.
Louise West, former curator of Jane’s house, explains how when Jane began earning her own money, she loved to spend it. “We have many everyday objects here that belonged to Jane such as purses which normally would have been thrown out, but by the end of her life, Jane’s sister and mother were being asked for Jane’s autographs, so she was beginning to become famous.
“Even though Jane made many of her clothes, she paid for the silk pelisse to be made for her at great expense, and if you look closely, you’ll see it’s covered in tiny oak leaves – a Naval symbol – in tribute to her two seafaring brothers.
“Jane’s house at Chawton would have been very cold, and she would have worn the pelisse a bit like a housecoat to keep herself warm.”
Visitors to the city can also experience the Jane Austen exhibition at Winchester Cathedral where she was buried, and where letters and poems between Jane and her good friend Anne Lefroy are on display.
Jane met Anne Lefroy’s nephew Tom as a lively 20-year-old when she attended many balls at the Assembly Rooms in Basingstoke.
In early January 1796, Jane wrote excitedly to her older sister Cassandra about her crush, calling him “a very gentlemanlike, good-looking, pleasant young man”.
But alas, Jane was unlikely to offer bring much in the way of a dowry, and in another of her letters later that year, she mentioned his departure and wrote, “At length the day is come when I am to flirt my last with Tom Lefroy, and when you receive this it will be over. My tears flow as I write at the melancholy idea.”
Indeed Tom left the country and married a wealthy woman Mary Paul in 1799, and they had seven children and lived in the family estate at Carrigglass Manor in County Longford in Ireland. Tom and Jane never saw each other again, but the Austen and Lefroy families kept in touch over the years, and descendants of Tom have been very involved with the celebrations of the famous author.
Tim Lefroy, 77, who is Tom’s brother’s great grandson, also lives in Winchester, and attended the opening. He spoke about why his young Anglo Irish ancestor would never have married Jane. “Tom was an impecunious lawyer and couldn’t afford to marry Jane – he had yet to start his career.”
As the years passed and Jane grew older, she remained unmarried. That’s not to say she wasn’t courted by other suitors – aged 27 she received a proposal from a local farmer Harris Bing-Wither who was due to inherit a large fortune, but after accepting him, the following day she turned him down.
Curator Louise West adds, “He was a very nice family friend, but rather dull. Considering what we know Jane thought of romance, it’s hardly surprising she declined his offer.”
Jane was a prolific letter writer and wrote thousands of them in her lifetime, but her sister burned all but 160 of them. Probably because Jane’s sharp tongue would have embarrassed many with her witty yet indiscreet revelations about neighbours and family.
However perhaps we should all be thankful Jane never married and had children – not least because three of her Jane’s six sisters in law died in childbirth – but also, if she had, it’s unlikely Jane would have had the time or support to write what are thought to be six of the greatest novels in the English language.
And now her tomb inside the spectacular Norman Winchester Cathedral, which is engraved with an epitaph written by her brother Henry, is a shrine to fans who come from all over the world to lay flowers and pay their respects to one of the literary world’s most famous women.
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Trent Bridge, the first of four days, is the only test.
England 498-3: Pope 169*, Duckett 140, Crawley 124
Zimbabwe: yet to bat
Zimbabwe won the choice to field and the toss.
Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley joined Ben Duckett in establishing centuries of total dominance over Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge as the two faced mounting pressure on their positions.
If Jacob Bethell makes a comeback for the series against India later in the summer, opener Crawley and number three Pope will be most vulnerable.
However, the selectors had to make a decision as England scored 498-3 on the opening day of the one-off Test, which is the highest total runs scored on a test day in this country.
With Crawley, England’s highest opening partnership in a home test since 1960, Duckett led the way with 140, adding 231 for the first wicket.
Pope completed the triumvirate with a majestic unbeaten score of 169, followed by Crawley with his first Test century in almost two years, 124.
All this after Zimbabwe won the choice to field and the toss. under a leaden sky. When the clouds parted, England cashed in on a pristine batting surface.
After lunch, Zimbabwe’s opening bowler Richard Ngarava suffered a back injury, but this was a mismatch.
With series matches against India and Australia in hand, England had just begun a pivotal year in test cricket. A sedate and one-sided opening day in Nottingham will be far more challenging and intense than those encounters.
Zimbabwe haven’t played a Test since 1992. With 11 matches in 2025, they are regaining their status as a test nation. Although the name was being tested, there was no contest.
After Bethell impressed in New Zealand over the winter, intrigue surrounded the conundrum at the top of the order in England.
Ben Stokes, England captain on Wednesday, said: “Put two and two together, you probably know what’s going to happen.” The 21-year-old is currently out of action in the Indian Premier League.
Later, it was clarified that Stokes was referring to Bethell returning immediately to the England squad rather than the XI.
Crawley and Pope would have known that their positions were in jeopardy and needed to do more to support their cause.
Zimbabwe made the right choice to add the home team in the heavy sky. Stokes claimed he would have done the same.
However, it was a run-scoring procession after Duckett hit left-armer Ngarava through the covers for four in the opener.
Blessing Muzarabani, a imposing seamer, was unable to exert any pressure on Zimbabwe. England scored well above five overs without breaking a sweat as a result of a slew of loose deliveries.
When the tourists drifted onto his pads, Duckett was the aggressor, whipping into the leg side.
After a terrible tour of New Zealand just before Christmas, Crawley turned his attention to handsome cover drives when Zimbabwe overpitched.
The fifth Test century for left-hander Duckett was the product of exactly 100 deliveries. When he slammed the same bowler to short cover, he had just hoiked off-spinner Wesley Madhevere for his second six.
Pope took his first 20 balls of a Test innings and hit his stride, taking 31 runs, which is the most he has ever taken.
It was Crawley’s first Test century since the all-time great 189 against Australia in the fourth Ashes Test of 2023, when he reached three. Sikandar Raza, lbw sweeping spinner, and Crawley, who had a hip problem, shared the second-wicket partnership’s 137.
Pope frequently used cuts and obscene deflections over the slips along the off-side boundary. His eighth Test hundred was scored against an eighth different opponent. He has only ever managed to score three points against Australia.
When he increased to 33 and then relegated Muzarabani to long leg, Joe Root became the fifth batter to do so. Pope continued to push against the second new ball, with Victor Nyauchi’s outstanding catch over a fine leg for six as the highlight.
There is a gap between the bat and the ball because he plays poorly when he plays out in front of himself. He no longer exerts as much control over his drives as he did today.
Ollie Pope impressed me in part because of reports that Ben Stokes has stated that Jacob Bethell will return. The Pope could read any errors that were made in his or her quote.
One of Pope’s biggest complaints, especially for the first 20 balls, is how skittish he can be. I believed that the attack was what caused him to appear in control.
Trent Bridge, the first of four days, is the only test.
England 498-3: Pope 169*, Duckett 140, Crawley 124
Zimbabwe: yet to bat
Zimbabwe won the choice to field and the toss.
Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley joined Ben Duckett in establishing centuries of total dominance over Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge as the two faced mounting pressure on their positions.
If Jacob Bethell makes a comeback for the series against India later in the summer, opener Crawley and number three Pope will be most vulnerable.
However, the selectors had to make a decision as England scored 498-3 on the opening day of the one-off Test, which is the highest total runs scored on a test day in this country.
With Crawley, England’s highest opening partnership in a home test since 1960, Duckett led the way with 140, adding 231 for the first wicket.
Pope completed the triumvirate with a majestic unbeaten score of 169, followed by Crawley with his first Test century in almost two years, 124.
All this after Zimbabwe won the choice to field and the toss. under a leaden sky. When the clouds parted, England cashed in on a pristine batting surface.
After lunch, Zimbabwe’s opening bowler Richard Ngarava suffered a back injury, but this was a mismatch.
With series matches against India and Australia in hand, England had just begun a pivotal year in test cricket. A sedate and one-sided opening day in Nottingham will be far more challenging and intense than those encounters.
Zimbabwe haven’t played a Test since 1992. With 11 matches in 2025, they are regaining their status as a test nation. Although the name was being tested, there was no contest.
After Bethell impressed in New Zealand over the winter, intrigue surrounded the conundrum at the top of the order in England.
Ben Stokes, England captain on Wednesday, said: “Put two and two together, you probably know what’s going to happen.” The 21-year-old is currently out of action in the Indian Premier League.
Later, it was clarified that Stokes was referring to Bethell returning immediately to the England squad rather than the XI.
Crawley and Pope would have known that their positions were in jeopardy and needed to do more to support their cause.
Zimbabwe made the right choice to add the home team in the heavy sky. Stokes claimed he would have done the same.
However, it was a run-scoring procession after Duckett hit left-armer Ngarava through the covers for four in the opener.
Blessing Muzarabani, a imposing seamer, was unable to exert any pressure on Zimbabwe. England scored well above five overs without breaking a sweat as a result of a slew of loose deliveries.
When the tourists drifted onto his pads, Duckett was the aggressor, whipping into the leg side.
After a terrible tour of New Zealand just before Christmas, Crawley turned his attention to handsome cover drives when Zimbabwe overpitched.
The fifth Test century for left-hander Duckett was the product of exactly 100 deliveries. When he slammed the same bowler to short cover, he had just hoiked off-spinner Wesley Madhevere for his second six.
Pope took his first 20 balls of a Test innings and hit his stride, taking 31 runs, which is the most he has ever taken.
It was Crawley’s first Test century since the all-time great 189 against Australia in the fourth Ashes Test of 2023, when he reached three. Sikandar Raza, lbw sweeping spinner, and Crawley, who had a hip problem, shared the second-wicket partnership’s 137.
Pope frequently used cuts and obscene deflections over the slips along the off-side boundary. His eighth Test hundred was scored against an eighth different opponent. He has only ever managed to score three points against Australia.
When he increased to 33 and then relegated Muzarabani to long leg, Joe Root became the fifth batter to do so. Pope continued to push against the second new ball, with Victor Nyauchi’s outstanding catch over a fine leg for six as the highlight.
There is a gap between the bat and the ball because he plays poorly when he plays out in front of himself. He no longer exerts as much control over his drives as he did today.
Ollie Pope impressed me in part because of reports that Ben Stokes has stated that Jacob Bethell will return. The Pope could read any errors that were made in his or her quote.
One of Pope’s biggest complaints, especially for the first 20 balls, is how skittish he can be. I believed that the attack was what caused him to appear in control.