A psychic convinced me to forgive Dad: How Peter Sellers’s daughter came to terms with being left out of his £5.5million will 

  • The Goons and Pink Panther star died of a heart attack in July 1980, aged 54
  • He left the bulk of his £5.5million fortune to his fourth wife, Lynne Frederick
  • Victoria was left just £800  – with a further £10,000 for her education
  • Lynn Frederick was briefly married to David Frost and became an alcoholic

By Caroline Graham for The Mail on Sunday

Published: | Updated:

Peter Sellers's daughter has revealed how a visit to a psychic persuaded her to forgive the comedian after he apologised for excluding her from his will.

When the Pink Panther and Goons star died of a heart attack in 1980, aged 54, he left the bulk of his £5.5million fortune to his fourth wife, Lynne Frederick, whom Victoria ‘loathed’ and Sellers was divorcing.

Victoria, his only child with his second wife Britt Ekland, was left just £800  – with a further £10,000 for her education.

Victoria with her father in Monte Carol in 1968. When the Pink Panther and Goons star died of a heart attack in 1980, aged 54, he left Victoria, his only child just £800

Victoria with her father in Monte Carol in 1968. When the Pink Panther and Goons star died of a heart attack in 1980, aged 54, he left Victoria, his only child just £800

The actor’s estate, valued at £20million today, ended up going to Frederick’s young daughter, Cassie Unger, the product of a later marriage to Californian heart doctor Barry Unger, after her mother drank herself to death in 1994.

It was only after Victoria, 49, visited a psychic last November that she came to terms with her father’s decision.

‘What happened was so profound I couldn’t ignore it,’ she said.

‘The guy didn’t know who I was. I went there with a folder, which I kept closed, which had a picture of  me, Dad, my Swedish grandma and a couple of letters from my father written on his favourite Gucci notepaper.

Peter Sellers pictured with fourth wife Lynn Frederick in 1978. He left the bulk of his £5.5million fortune to his fourth wife, Lynne Frederick, whom Victoria 'loathed'

Peter Sellers pictured with fourth wife Lynn Frederick in 1978. He left the bulk of his £5.5million fortune to his fourth wife, Lynne Frederick, whom Victoria 'loathed'

Peter Sellers married Britt Ekland in February 1964. Victoria, his only child with Britt, was born in January 1965

Peter Sellers married Britt Ekland in February 1964. Victoria, his only child with Britt, was born in January 1965

A scene from the film 'The Pink Panther' (1963) starring Peter Sellers

A scene from the film 'The Pink Panther' (1963) starring Peter Sellers

‘The medium said my father wanted to apologise. He said Dad was proud of me for surviving what I’d been through and that none of it had been meant to happen, that he was sorry.

‘People might think I’m nuts but it was what I needed to hear. After all these years it was time to let go of the anger. I sobbed my heart out.

‘I went home and took out photographs of him that I’d kept hidden away for years. I looked up and said, “It’s OK Dad, we’re good.” ’

Victoria rents a room in West Hollywood and works at a restaurant.

After a lifelong battle with alcohol and drug addiction, she has been clean for three years.

She had two half-siblings, Sarah and Michael, from her father’s first marriage to actress Anne Howe.

Sarah shuns the limelight, running a teddy bear shop in London, while Michael died in 2006, aged 52.

Victoria said: ‘They missed out on the legacy, too. Dad’s will didn’t  just hurt me, it hurt the whole family. We never contested it because under British law you can only contest a will if you are left nothing. We were left a paltry amount.’

Victoria would like to come to an agreement with Unger, who controls the Sellers fortune, including the rights to his name.

She said: ‘Cassie can keep all Dad’s millions. All I want is the right to use my father’s name. It belongs to us, his family. And there are home movies of me and Dad I’ve never seen. I’ve given up on wanting any money. But I’d love to see those movies.’

Victoria Sellers has come to terms with being virtually ignored in her father's will

Victoria Sellers has come to terms with being virtually ignored in her father's will




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