Larry King's estranged wife Shawn contests will

Shawn Southwick King, the estranged widow of Larry King, is contesting a handwritten will the late broadcasting legend made in 2019 updating his previous will to leave his entire estate to his children.

"Entertainment Tonight," citing legal documents it had obtained, reported Tuesday that Shawn King, 61, is challenging the updated will. Dated Oct. 17, 2019, the new will came after Larry King filed for divorce two months earlier, after nearly 22 years of marriage.

The previous will, dated July 2015, had named Shawn King as executor, sole trustee of the King Family Trust, and sole shareholder of Larry King's production companies, said "ET." The new will directs that "100% of my funds … be divided equally among my children."

Of Larry King's five children from eight marriages to seven women, Andy King died in July 2020 and Chaia King a month later. Larry King was survived by three sons: Larry Jr., born in 1962, with second wife Annette Kaye; and Chance, 21, and Cannon, 20, with Shawn King.

The entertainment-news program quoted Shawn King's filing as saying she "was actively involved in Larry's career and businesses, was a partner in many of them, and continued in that role up to Larry's death, and currently." The filing additionally stated that Larry King had a "secret account" through which he made cash gifts from the couple's "community property, without Shawn's knowledge," to individuals including Larry King Jr.

"Shawn further believes," the filing states, "that Larry Jr. exerted undue influence over Larry in connection with some or all of these gifts and with the handwritten will."

Larry King died Jan. 23 at age 87.

Shawn King has not commented publicly on the report.