Elizabeth Hurley speaks out against her son’s grandfather
Elizabeth Hurley has spoken out against her son Damian’s paternal grandfather, releasing a statement criticising the decision to prevent the 19-year-old from inheriting an expected $330 million AUD (or $354 million NZD) from his family trust.
Damian’s father, Steve Bing, died by suicide in 2020 at 55. He and Hurley dated between 2001 and 2002.
Steve Bing’s father and Damian’s paternal grandfather, multimillionaire Dr Peter Bing, made an appeal against Damian and his half-sister, Kira Kerkorian, to receive a share of Steve Bing’s fortune as they were born out of wedlock.
In a statement made to The Daily Mail over the weekend, Hurley said she was hurt by Dr Bing’s decision, especially after Steve had won a court battle overturning Dr Bing’s attempt to exclude Damian and Kira from the family trust before his death.
“When Stephen took his own life, he died thinking his children were going to be taken care of,” Hurley said in the statement.
“Stephen fought very hard in his last year to have his children recognised and repeatedly told me how incredibly important it was to him.
“What Stephen wanted has not been callously reversed. I know Stephen would have been devastated.”
Although Damian reportedly didn’t have a relationship with Steve growing up, Steve called Damian and expressed hopes of building a relationship with him on the then 18-year-old’s birthday, according to Hurley.
On the anniversary of his father’s death, Damian shared a tribute on Instagram, saying the “last year has been bloody hard”.
“He was happy beyond belief that the trial verdict ruled that Damian was to be treated like his sister’s children as far as the trust was concerned,” the Austin Powers star continued in her statement.
“I am just relieved that Stephen will never know that Damian’s relatives - Stephen’s father and the family of his sister Mary - were ultimately successful in their appeal against the original trial verdict.”
Kira’s mother, former professional tennis player Lisa Bonder, also contributed to the statement.
“As a mum, I wonder why on earth this had to happen. Why make two innocent kids into victims?” Bonder said.
Following the court’s decision, Steve’s fortune will be split between his sister Mary’s two children, Anton Ellis and Lucy Ellis.
Steve, who founded Shangri-La Entertainment, inherited his fortune when he was 18 from his grandfather, who was a real-estate mogul.
Image: Elizabeth Hurley / Instagram