Phil Spencer and his siblings to inherit £18m fortune after tragic loss of parents
by George Allen, Aisha Nozari, Alexandra Bullard · NottinghamshireLivePhil Spencer, known for his role on Location, Location, Location, has reportedly inherited a whopping £18million from his parents. His parents, Anne Spencer, 82, and Richard Spencer, 89, tragically died in August 2023 when their car fell into a river in Kent while they were on their way to a pub lunch.
Probate documents also mention Phil's siblings, indicating that the late parents' fortune will be split among Phil, his older brother Robert, and younger sisters Caryn and Helen. The wills of Anne and Richard were made public this week, with Richard leaving £15.3million and Anne £2.9million.
Richard, who was more commonly known by his middle name David, drafted his will in 2007. Each of his eight grandchildren have been left £10,000, and a donation of £20,000 has been given to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
The Sun reports that David's remaining wealth was put into a trust for the benefit of his two sons. Anne, who signed her will in 2021, specified that a niece and nephew living in Canada should receive gifts of £500 each, as should her godson, according to the Mirror.
Anne also outlined plans for a donation from her estate to go to her local church and stated that her jewellery should be given to her daughters, to be shared with her granddaughters and daughters-in-law, reports the Express.
Last year, Phil, aged 54, shared a heartfelt statement after the sad loss of his parents, finding comfort in the thought that they passed away together: "holding onto the fact mum and dad went together" and that "neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one". The TV presenter has since spoken about the devastating event and expressed his deep appreciation for the overwhelming support he received.
"I feel a lot of gratitude to people for the thousands of kind, supportive messages I got. The whole thing was overwhelming, but that blew me away. People were very loving and thoughtful," he said with emotion.
Reflecting on his decision to release the statement in August 2023, Phil explained that he took to social media to share the news to "avoid the trauma of explaining it all". At that time, Phil wrote: "As a family we are all trying to hold onto the fact Mum and Dad went together and that neither will ever have to mourn the loss of the other one. Which is a blessing in itself. Although they were both on extremely good form in the days before (hence the sudden idea to go out to lunch) Mums Parkinson's and Dads Dementia had been worsening and the long term future was set to be a challenge."
"So much so that mum said to me only a week ago that she had resigned to thinking 'now it looks like we will probably go together'. And so they did."
Phil explained: "That was what God had planned for them - and it was a good plan. The car, going very slowly, toppled over a bridge on the farm drive, upside down into the river."
He continued: "There were no physical injuries and I very much doubt they would have even fought it - they would have held hands under the water and quietly slipped away."
Phil added: "Their carer was in the car and managed to escape through a back window, raising the alarm promptly."
He said: "As many farmers do - my brother had a penknife and so was able to cut the seat belts - he pulled them out of the river but they never regained consciousness. Although desperately sad and shocked beyond all belief - all family are clear that if there can ever be such a thing as having a 'good end' - this was it."
Phil shared: "It feels horrendous right now, but after almost 60 years of marriage - to die together on the farm they so loved will, I know, be a comfort in the future. mum and dad are together which is precisely where they would have wanted to be."