A legal dispute has erupted involving three sisters and the partner of a deceased farmer over a substantial inheritance valued at £2.7 million. The sisters of Charles Thompson are engaged in court proceedings aimed at preventing his long-time partner, Alexandra Pyper, from claiming any portion of his estate.
At 76 years of age, Ms. Pyper asserts that she is entitled to a fair distribution of the estate’s value, which includes funds from the sale of his expansive 90-acre farm located in Leicestershire. In official documents filed with the High Court, she contends that she lived with Mr. Thompson as his partner for an impressive 36 years, emphasizing her contributions to the farming operation, which included essential tasks like lambing and feeding livestock.
Ms. Pyper further claims that she invested £77,530 in constructing an extension to the farmhouse, specifically to add a new kitchen. Unfortunately, Mr. Thompson passed away in December 2022 without leaving behind a will, and under the laws governing intestacy, this meant that Ms. Pyper was left without any financial support, while the entirety of the estate was allocated to his sisters.
Victoria Heyman, aged 74 and serving as the executor of her brother's estate, has initiated legal action against Ms. Pyper, with the backing of her two sisters, Virginia Johnson, 79, and Tina Guillory, 81. They are seeking a formal declaration affirming that Ms. Pyper has no rightful claim to any of Mr. Thompson’s assets.
The sisters argue that Ms. Pyper is not entitled to any portion of their brother's estate, pointing out that she has not provided any documentation to substantiate her claims. They also contend that she has missed the deadline for making such claims on the estate.
Tina Guillory, notable for being a former model and the widow of famed US folk singer Isaac Guillory, successfully founded her own company, Carrier Company, in 1995. This business specializes in outdoor clothing and equipment produced from her historic 17th-century farmhouse in Norfolk, and it is well-known for its signature jute bag designed for gardeners. Her daughter, Sienna Guillory, who has appeared in films like "Love Actually" and the "Resident Evil" series, proudly serves as a brand ambassador for Carrier Company.
Before his passing, Mr. Thompson and Ms. Pyper resided together at Bulldyke Farm in Hallaton, close to Market Harborough. He was highly regarded within the Leicestershire agricultural community, and upon his death, Melton Mowbray Market honored him as "a true market supporter and a good friend." The property itself, featuring a modern five-bedroom farmhouse and multiple outbuildings, was listed for sale in July at a price of £2.1 million.
In court, Ms. Pyper intends to present evidence that she previously discussed the possibility of receiving a portion of the estate with Mr. Thompson's sisters, yet no agreement was reached. In December 2024, her legal representatives contacted Mrs. Heyman to request a share of the farm, which they later formalized in March 2025 by asserting a 35% claim on the estate. This assertion is based on an alleged promise made by Mr. Thompson that she would inherit "what she needed," as well as a draft will from 1989 that Ms. Pyper claims to have recently discovered.
Moreover, Ms. Pyper states that she has suffered financially due to expenditures on enhancements to the farmhouse, including the aforementioned kitchen renovation. She elaborates that she and Mr. Thompson intended to start a family, but their plans were interrupted when she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 50. According to her, Mr. Thompson had assured her that he would ensure her needs were met, prompting her decision to refrain from discussing potential scenarios regarding their future should one of them pass away. After his death, she alleges she found out that he had not taken necessary precautions to secure her financial future.
In her argument to the court, Ms. Pyper will assert that the promises made by Mr. Thompson entitle her to sufficient funds from the estate to purchase a property that meets her needs. Conversely, the High Court will hear from Mrs. Heyman and her sisters that Ms. Pyper has not provided any supporting documents for her claim. Furthermore, the court will be informed that Ms. Pyper possesses her own financial resources, including a flat in Mayfair inherited from her mother and an investment fund totaling £1,368,422.
Mr. Thompson’s sisters maintain that these assets adequately enable her to sustain herself. They plan to inform the court that their brother was a highly intelligent individual who had access to legal counsel and professional advisors, stating in their legal filings that if he had desired to create a will, he certainly would have done so.
