A dramatic inheritance battle unfolded when three adult children discovered that their father had been living a secret double life.
Michael Gymer, who passed away in December 2020 at the age of 83, had been married to Julie for over 60 years.
Together, they had three children—Shelley, Gregory, and Lee.
The siblings learned the shocking truth about their father’s affair only months before his death, after they were told by a relative about his secret family.
A Hidden Life Exposed
Through the revelation, the siblings found out that Michael had been secretly involved with Beverley Madden for decades, and they had two children together—Joseph, 29, and Charlotte, 32.
This news came after Julie’s death in June 2020.
Neither Michael nor Julie had left a will, which meant Michael’s estate of £461,752 was set to be divided equally among all five of their children.
However, Shelley, Gregory, and Lee believed this division wasn’t fair, especially since Michael had inherited his wife’s share after her passing, and now that money would be shared with his affair’s children.
Legal Battle for Fairness
In court, Joseph and Charlotte, the children from Michael’s secret relationship, argued that Julie was aware of the affair and would have changed her will if she cared about the inheritance distribution.
However, the judge rejected this claim, siding with the original three siblings.
Gregory and Lee argued that their father’s actions created an unfair situation, and the court ultimately decided to cut about £170,000 from Joseph and Charlotte’s inheritance, awarding that amount to Gregory and Lee instead.
A Decades-Long Affair
The judge revealed that Michael’s affair had lasted for decades, starting in 1992.
While Joseph and Charlotte were aware of their father’s double life, none of the other children knew of their existence until after Julie’s death.
The judge called all five children “innocent victims” of Michael’s secretive and deceptive behavior.
A Family Divided
Gregory and Lee were each granted a third of their mother’s share of the family wealth—approximately £85,000 each—due to their pressing financial needs.
Shelley, however, did not receive the same amount because her needs were not deemed as urgent.
The court also considered that Gregory and Lee had helped care for their parents in their final years, making the division even more complicated.
Shelley testified that she had no idea about her father’s affair until after her mother’s funeral.
It was only then that a cousin revealed the existence of the secret family.
The Final Ruling
After three days of legal proceedings, the judge ruled that Gregory and Lee would each receive a third of Julie’s share of the couple’s joint wealth.
The remaining third would be divided equally among all five children.
The judge also decided that Joseph and Charlotte would not receive an equal share of the entire estate, as there was not enough evidence to suggest that Julie had known about or accepted their existence.
Gregory and Lee are now set to receive approximately £143,000 each, while Shelley, Joseph, and Charlotte will each receive about £58,000.
The final details of the estate’s distribution will be confirmed at a later date.
What’s Next?
This complex inheritance dispute has revealed the emotional and financial turmoil caused by Michael Gymer’s secret life.
With the judge’s ruling now in place, the five siblings must come to terms with the outcome, though the personal and legal consequences of this family drama are far from over.