The ‘Queen of Soul’, who passed away without officially drafted instructions for her multimillion-dollar estate in 2018, left two handwritten wills which her sons disputed over.

The latest one was found inside her couch and is now deemed valid, following a two-day trial in Pontiac, Michigan.

This decision signifies a triumph for her sons, Kecalf and Edward Franklin. They argued the 2014 will, which entitles Kecalf to their mother’s prime Bloomfield Hills home, should supersede the 2010 version found in a locked cabinet. The latter required both sons to acquire business credentials to benefit from the estate, a clause not present in the later version.

Ted White II, Franklin’s son, had opposed the 2014 will, asserting his mother usually obtained important documents “conventionally and legally” with a lawyer. His lawyer, Kurt A Olson, questioned the will’s legitimacy due to its casual storage.

Kecalf’s lawyers, however, successfully argued the recent will’s validity. Franklin is famed for hits like Respect and I Say a Little Prayer.