Queen Elizabeth II intervened to ensure the minor's will was kept private, despite courtier claims that 'fringe members' of the family did not need it to be sealed
The late Queen Elizabeth II kept details of a minor royal family's wealth hidden from the public, it has emerged.
Staff at Britain's National Archives have reportedly censored documents in which the late queen requested that the will of one of her relatives be kept secret.
They retracted the documents two years ago and deleted parts of them before putting them back into the public domain last year.
This is despite one courtier's claims that 'fringe members' of the royal family 'do not need to have their wills sealed' except in special circumstances.
The Guardianwho photographed the entire file in 2021, found that a section was missing from a report written by senior justice officer Robert Bayne-Powell in 1970.
It said: 'I understand that Her Majesty has requested the lawyers to request the executors to seal the will of the Royal Princess, Countess of Harewood. I propose that every royal will should be sealed if the sovereign requests it.”
Staff at Britain's National Archives have reportedly censored documents containing a request from the late Queen to keep the will of one of her relatives secret
The late Queen Elizabeth II kept details of the wealth of a minor royal hidden from the public – the Countess of Harewood – it has emerged
The Countess of Harewood was a daughter of George V and an aunt of the late Queen.
She died in 1965, leaving behind £5.6 million in today's money.
According to reports, staff at the National Archives in Kew, south-west London, have removed the file containing official discussions about royal wills between 1957 and 1970.
Staff A letter from June 1970 in which a The courtier in charge of the Queen's finances said the wills of minor royals did not need to be kept private.
Courtier Lord Tryon had told a Whitehall official: 'Buckingham Palace's lawyers believe that except in special circumstances (for example a will containing something that should not be made public) 'fringe members' of the Royal Family should not have to sign their will to have it sealed. This should only apply to HRHs.”
The National Archives told the Guardian that the documents were removed in consultation with the Ministry of Justice because they had information about communications with the Queen – which they said were being kept private under a section of the Freedom of Information Act.
MailOnline has contacted the National Archives for further comment. MailOnline has also contacted Buckingham Palace for comment.