Ben Duncan, a former university friend of Prince William and star of Big Brother, left a five-figure fortune after his death. Duncan died last year at the age of 45 after falling from the roof of a West End hotel in London.
He passed away without making a will. Letters of administration were granted to his mother, Monica Duncan, by the High Court in July, meaning she has control of his estate. Papers show the gross value of his assets was £218,450, reduced to £91,683 after deductions were made to repay debts and cover expenses.
Fatal fall from hotel roof
Duncan plunged to his death after falling seven floors from the rooftop bar of London's Trafalgar St. James hotel in October 2025. He had been living in a ground-floor flat in Pimlico, central London, at the time of his death.
The TV star was found dead shortly after Metropolitan Police officers were dispatched to investigate reports of a "man on the roof" of the Hilton. "Officers responded to concerns for a man on the roof of a building in Cockspur Street, Westminster at 23:02hrs on Thursday, 30 October. The man sadly fell from height," a spokesperson told Express.co.uk at the time. "Despite the best efforts from the London Ambulance Service, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. His death is being treated as unexpected but non-suspicious."
University connection and tributes
Duncan attended St Andrews University with Prince William and Princess Kate when they first started dating, and was said to be part of their inner circle. He was reportedly one of the first to know about the pair's budding relationship.
"Because we'd had Will and Kate in our midst we had royal protection officers swarming the place. We knew that they had hit it off and we knew that something was happening, but they were just left alone to get on with it," he said in 2010.
Tributes flooded in following his death, with broadcaster Mike Hollingsworth writing on Facebook: "My dear, dear friend Benjamin (Ben) Duncan has left us. He lived life as Peter Pan - the boy who never grew up. He will be sorely missed by his many, many friends, who grew to love his charm, his wit, his infectious laugh and his innate sense of style. The world is a poorer place for his passing. RIP Benji."
Big Brother legacy
Duncan was best known for appearing on Big Brother during its 11th series in 2010. TV presenter Josie Gibson, who starred alongside him in Big Brother and went on to win the series, described him as "one of the most unique, hilariously funny, dry-witted guys I know".
