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Damian Hurley could be cut from family trust after being ‘born out of wedlock’

His businessman father is worth an estimated $853 million — but Damian Hurley’s grandfather is trying to stop him from getting a cent.

Damian Hurley could be cut from family trust

The biological grandfather of Elizabeth Hurley’s only son is waging a nasty legal battle to stop the teen from inheriting any of the family fortune.

The Austin Powers actress gave birth to her only child, Damian Charles Hurley, in 2002 after a brief fling with US businessman Steve Bing.

Mr Bing has an estimated net worth of $US600 million ($AU853 million), with the bulk of his fortune coming from his grandfather, New York real estate baron Leo S. Bing.

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But despite that staggering wealth, the 16-year-old’s grandfather, Dr Peter Bing, is now trying to prevent Damian from getting his hands on the multimillion-dollar family trust.

Dr Bing has argued that Damian and his dad have never met, and that the teen isn’t eligible to become a Bing heir as he was “born out of wedlock”.

Damian Hurley, 16, makes regular appearances on his mum’s Instagram account. Picture: Instagram
Damian Hurley, 16, makes regular appearances on his mum’s Instagram account. Picture: Instagram

The legal battle began after another of Mr Bing’s illegitimate children — 20-year-old Kira Kerkorian Bing — allegedly claimed she was a beneficiary of the trust and demanded information on it.

In response, Dr Bing filed court papers in Los Angeles County which asked for a judge to deem Ms Kerkorian Bing ineligible.

That’s because the trust, which was established in 1980, “would not benefit any person bought out of wedlock unless that person had lived for a substantial period of time as a regular member of the household”, according to court documents, The Mirror reports.

Ms Kerkorian Bing’s mother is former tennis player Lisa Bonder, and originally she believed her daughter had been fathered by casino mogul Kirk Kerkorian.

However, a DNA test eventually revealed Mr Bing was the father.

Mr Bing also demanded a paternity test after Damian was born, which also proved he was his biological son.

According to The Mirror, Dr Bing’s affidavit claims he has never met Damian or Kira and that neither child was “raised by Stephen as part of his family”.

“l know that neither of them has lived with Stephen while a minor as a regular member of his household,” the affidavit states.

“To the best of my knowledge, Stephen has never met Damian, and Stephen only met Kira after she became an adult.

“Regardless of whether, when and if Stephen met with or had any relationship with Damian or Kira while they are or were minor because neither was raised by him during their formative years l do not consider them my grandchildren.

“Even were Stephen to develop a relationship with Damian now, l would not consider him my grandchild because he is nearing adulthood.”

Damian Hurley is an actor and model and starred as Prince Hansel von Liechtenstein in the TV series The Royals, in which his mother plays the Queen of England.

His godfathers include Hugh Grant, David Beckham, Elton John, and he spent part of his childhood in Australia during Ms Hurley’s relationship with Aussie cricketing legend Shane Warne.

In a court settlement, Mr Bing originally agreed to pay his son $AU3,373,143 in yearly instalments of $AU187,000, although Elizabeth Hurley is believed to have refused the offer.

Hurley, 53, launched her career in 1995 when she became an Estée Lauder spokeswoman and model with no prior experience.

She went on to become a successful model and actress and famously dated British actor Hugh Grant for 13 years.

Despite the ongoing legal battle on his father’s side, Damian Hurley is likely to eventually inherit his mother’s own multimillion-dollar fortune.

Continue the conversation @carey_alexis | alexis.carey@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/wealth/damian-hurley-could-be-cut-from-family-trust-after-being-born-out-of-wedlock/news-story/e9b086e44cd9876fc3c328258e462352