When millions of Robin Williams fans learned that the comedic and dramatic acting genius had passed away, they were heartbroken. Fortunately, fans could take some pleasure that Williams was at peace since he didn’t seem like himself near the end.

Thanks to people in the media like Conan O’Brien handling Williams’ passing to perfection, fans began to grieve and accept the tragic news. Sadly for Williams’ loved ones, getting over his passing would be a lot harder for many reasons including the fact that the actor’s will wound up inspiring a family legal battle.

Who Did Robin Williams Leave His Estate To?

Looking back at Robin Williams’ life, it is abundantly clear that he experienced more than most people could in multiple lifetimes. If you ask most fans about Williams’ highlights, they would bring up his roles in movies like Good Will Hunting, Mrs. Doubtfire, The Birdcage, and Dead Poets Society.

However, for the people who knew Williams the best, he will always be remembered for the joy he brought into their lives. When the documentary Robin Williams: Come Inside My Mind was released, it revealed that Williams was complicated like everyone else, but he was adored by the people he shared his life with.

During Williams’ 63 years on Earth, the monumentally talented man met and married three different women. Williams also fathered three children, one of which was mothered by his first wife with his second wife giving birth to his two other children.

When Williams passed away in 2014, he was still married to his third and final wife, Susan Schneider Williams. The couple had been married for a little bit less than three years and were living together when Williams passed away.

Given all the wives and children Williams had in his life, his will could have named a lot of people as beneficiaries. On top of that, it is no secret that Williams had very tight bonds with his friends like Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg.

Ultimately, it turned out that Williams provided for four people in his will. Looking at the breakdown of William’s will, it seems like the beloved actor’s decisions about whom to provide for make perfect sense.

Most notably, Williams left the proceeds from his estate to three people, his children.

On the other hand, Williams’ decision to provide for a fourth person wound up creating a lot of drama. That said, that isn’t a criticism of Williams or anyone else involved as everything that happened was understandable even though the events were unfortunate.

The fourth person that Williams wanted to take care of was his wife at the time of his passing, Susan Schneider. Unlike his three children, Schneider didn’t get a piece of the actor’s fortune or estate.

Instead, Williams’ will stated that Schneider was allowed to continue living in the home they shared until she passed and would receive money for expenses. To be clear, Schneider was allowed to stay in the home they shared for the rest of her life, but she doesn’t own it as the home is part of the estate, so it belongs to his kids.

How Did Robin Williams’ Will Cause A Bitter Fight Among His Loved Ones?

When Robin Williams’ will stated that his wife Susan Schneider could continue to live in their home, that left a lot of questions to be answered. After all, since Williams’ kids took over ownership of everything he owned, that meant they owned their father’s items that were in the house as well. On the other hand, Schneider may have expected nothing to change in the house she shared with Williams.

It was that lack of clarity that led to the situation where Williams’ widow and children were locked in a legal battle. When Schneider was interviewed by ABC News in 2015, she was asked what led to the lawsuit between her and Williams’ kids and gave her perspective on the situation.

“I was forced into it, basically. And when I say that, here’s what happened. Two and a half weeks after Robin had left, I was still in shock. And not back in our home.”

Schneider continued, “After being in the trenches with my husband for so long and trying to solve this thing, after seven years together in love, I was told that I might not be able to be able to keep our wedding gifts, that in fact, ‘While you’re out of the house … we need to come in and take everything out. ’Eventually once we’ve gone through it all, you can decide – tell us which items are yours. And we’ll decide whether or not that’s true.’”

As Schneider went on to say, she found the idea of things playing out like that “incomprehensible”. However, Schneider says that when she tried to raise objections, she was “stonewalled good and hard”. Schneider then went on to describe a moment of arguing with lawyers that she felt was especially surreal.

“I’ll never forget being on the phone with one of the trustees and saying, ‘Are you kidding me? I’m not going to be able to keep our wedding gifts?’ What is this? I know Robin Williams is famous. He’s my husband. He’s my husband. If we’re talking that you guys think everything is memorabilia, then take me. He’s touched me. Where does this end?’”

From Schneider’s description of how things were playing out, Williams’ kids aren’t painted in the best light. However, unbiased observers can see why Williams’ kids would want to make sure that nothing bad could happen to their father’s belongings.

According to John J. Scroggin’s book “What Dead Celebrities Can Teach Us About Estate Planning”, it was that concern that led to the legal battle. “[Williams’] widow and his three children from

his two prior marriages were in conflict over the issue of how his “cherished belongings that include his clothing, collections and personal photographs” should be passed.”

Fortunately, cooler heads ultimately prevailed and Schneider and Williams’ kids struck a deal out of court. When Schneider was asked about that deal, she praised it as living up to what Williams wanted for her.

“[The deal is] “basically what my husband wanted, which was just that I could live in the home until I die. And that’s it. That it would be taken care of.” The lawyer for Williams’ kids also expressed that they were happy the matter was over. “I think they’re just very happy to have this behind them.”

According to an E! News’ article about the deal, Schneider will continue to live in the house until she passes away and be given an allowance for expenses. Schneider also received “disputed items such as a watch, a bicycle, and their wedding gifts”.

On the other hand, Schneider’s lawyer revealed that Williams’ kids walked away with the deal with a lot too. “[Williams’ kids] “will receive the vast majority of the items they demanded, such as more than 50 bikes and over 85 watches, as well as thousands of never-disputed items like Robin Williams’s Academy Award statue.”