Now that the state funeral of her majesty the late Queen Elizabeth II has come and gone, normal life has returned for most people. But for her family, there will still be some matters to take care of.

On a personal level, they will now get some private time to grieve, reflect and plan the way forward after the end of the longest monarchical reign in British history. But there are also practical arrangements to consider – and not just the rearranging of titles and planning for the coronation of King Charles at some point next year.

Behind the scenes, there is the not-so small matter of the Queen’s Will. Of course, many of her possessions are the property of the crown and thus pass automatically to the new king. But there will also be things that are privately owned that will need to be bequeathed, such as the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

Due to a law passed in 1822, the details of the will won’t be made public, a rule later extended to all royals. Of course, royal wills can voluntarily be made public, such as in 2002 when it was simply revealed that the Queen Mother had left her entire estate to her daughter. 

However, the details of the late Queen’s wishes can be expected to remain secret, apart from Prince Andrew getting the corgis.

While the exact details of the will are to remain private, the fact that even the royals make them may be a reminder that everyone else should too. Of course, most people will not live to be 96 and very few will have the levels of wealth the Queen had, but nonetheless the importance of making a will is clear. That’s why you should contact local will solicitors in Surrey to take care of this.

The fact that your own will can not be made secret is something to be aware of, but it is also important to note that there are limits on this.

 For example, up in Scotland the law is that when the executor gets confirmation that they can dispose of the will’s assets, the inventory of these becomes publicly available for a fee. In England and Wales, however, there is no inventory published and only the gross and net value of the estate can be made public.

At the same time, it is important to remember that the amount of interest in your will is probably going to be limited to those who might benefit from it, somewhat in contrast to the kind of feeding frenzy the media would have if the Queen’s will were made public.

Your family may not find its dirty linen washed in public the way controversies about the royals from Harry and Meghan’s withdrawal to Prince Andrew’s legal troubles have been, but the last thing you will want is for your own family to be tied up in a dispute over inheritance due to intestacy or a DIY will with legal flaws. 

By working with the professionals, you can ensure your legacy is handled just as you would want.