Queen of Soul’s will found under living-room cushions

THREE handwritten wills have been discovered at the home of Aretha Franklin, including one hidden under cushions in her living room.

The Queen of Soul (pictured) died from pancreatic cancer, aged

76, last August, and relatives said at the time she had not left a will.

But three documents were found this month. Two from 2010 were recovered from a locked cabinet when a key was located.

The other, dated 2014, was found under living-room cushions at her

Detroit home, the family’s lawyer David Bennett said. Some of the writing, which includes notes in margins and scratched-out text, is hard to decipher but appears to give her assets to various relatives. Mr Bennett filed the wills in court on Monday but is not sure if they are legal under Michigan law. A statement from the Franklin estate said two of the singer’s sons object to the wills.

The case is scheduled to be heard on June 12.

In a separate court filing, the Respect singer’s son, Kecalf, contests the 2014 will, stating his mother wanted him to serve as representative of her estate.