In the world of riches and rags, some thrive on working their entire life for wealth, but for some, being silver-spooned is more than enough. But, sometimes it isn't easy money, though, as it indulges years-long legal battle for the estate. The same went for Dannielynn Birkhead, the only daughter of the late American model Anna Nicole Smith.
After her mother's death, Birkhead, currently in her teens, carried out a legal battle on her behalf to sanction a chunk for the estate of her late step-father J. Howard Marshall II, a billionaire. Following more than a decade-long battle, the case finally settled in 2014, though it didn't earn her anything from the estate.
Yet, with her mother's inheritance, Anna's fortune, the star kid places among the richest children in the world with a net worth in millions.
Among Richest Children In The World- How Much Is Net Worth Of Dannielynn Birkhead In 2021?
According to online sources, the Bahamas-born star kid has an estimated net worth of $10 million in 2021. The Celebrity Net Worth reported her fortune at $3 million back in the late 2010s. She shares the millions of dollars worth of luxury with her father Larry Birkhead- a celebrity photographer who has full custody of Dannielynn.
Aside from her father's earnings, the inheritance of her late-model mother Anna's estate sought an increment in her worth. In 2007, Anna (birth name: Vickie Lynn Hogan) had $1 million at the time of death.
CAPTION: Dannielynn Birkhead and her father Larry Birkhead SOURCE: Instagram@larryanddannielynn Moreover, Dannielynn Birkhead is now a reality star as well as a model. Back in 2013, she was the face of the Guess Girl Spring Collection. She appeared in the TV movie Life After Anna Nicole: The Larry & Dannielynn Story (2013), which followed further TV appearances as a guest in Celebrity Wife Swap, Access Hollywood, and The Millionaire Matchmaker.
One of the richest children in the world, Birkhead's worth maybe a far cry from that of Royal young figures, but being a millionaire at 13 has its perks too. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, who is only six years old, is the wealthiest child globally with a net worth of £4.3 billion.
Check out our list of richest kids in the world (inclusive of self-made millionaires):
- Princess Charlotte of Cambridge (6 years old)- £4.3 billion
- Prince George of Cambridge (8 years old)- £1.7 billion ($2.4 billion)
- Moulay Hassan, Crown Prince of Morocco (18)- $1.5 billion
- Blue Ivy Carter (9)- $500 million: daughter of Jay-Z and Beyoncé
- Max Muniz and Emme Maribel Muniz(twins, 13)- $200 million: Kids of Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony
- Vivienne Jolie Pitt and Knox Jolie Pitt (twins, 13 years old)- $200 million: Kids of Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt
- Taimur Ali Khan (3-year-old)- $100 million: Son of Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan (of royal lineage) and Kareen Kapoor
- Ryan Kaji (9)- $35 million: A self-made youngest & yet richest YouTuber
- Valentina Paloma Pinault (13)- $12 million: Daughter of Salma Hayek & François-Henri Pinault
- Dannielynn Birkhead (13)- $10 million: Daughter of Anna Nicole Smith
Battle For Inheritance Of Marshall's Estate- Late Step-Father Was A Billionaire
For nearly a decade, 13-year old Birkhead made round-ups of the court on behalf of her late mother Anna Smith's legal claims on the fortune of J. Howard Marshall III, a billionaire businessman and government official. Reportedly, from her mother's inheritance claims, Dannielynn was to earn a sanction of the estate of the Marshall family and $44 million in compensatory damages, as per a motion filed in U.S. district court in 2011.
However, a federal judge in Orange County ruled out those in August 2014; as a result, none from the $445 million estates of J. Howard Marshall went to Smith's (or, let's say, eventually to Dannielynn).
CAPTION: Anna Nicole Smith, a late American model, and mother of Dannielynn Birkhead SOURCE: Instagram@generic_ornament The base of all these legal troubles began in October 1991 when the star kid's model mom Anna (aak Vickie), met the then-86-year-old petroleum tycoon J. Howard Marshall at a strip club. Then, following a 2-year affair, the duo married on June 27, 1994, and remained together for a year until Marshall's death on August 4, 1995.
After the businessman's death, the American model claimed the inheritance of his fortune based on "verbal promise" of half of his estate, although J. Howard didn't name her in the will.
Marshall vs. Marshall And Stern vs. Marshall Legal Dispute
After the teen American model's mother, Anna (then legally Vickie Lynn Marshall), didn't get a share on her late husband (second) J. Howard Marshall's estate fired up a battle between her and the businessman's stepson E. Pierce Marshall. Moreover, she joined forces with Howard's other son, J. Howard Marshall III- he was opted out of the will.
Hence, began the famous Marshall vs. Marshall dispute.
Marshall vs. Marshall
After four years of filing bankruptcy, Ann Nicole Smith got favor from LA bankruptcy judge in September 2000 to get $449.75 million from the interest in Koch Industries of Marshall's family to overcome debts. However, by July 2001, Houston judge ruled that over and entitled her to nothing.
Due to conflict in the judgment, the case then went to federal court, and a federal judge reduced the award to $88 million, vacating the Bankruptcy court's ruling in March 2002.
But, again, the decision got a reverse from a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, claiming federal courts lacked jurisdiction to overrule the probate court decision. So, the court went on hearing on Supreme Court in September 2005 and unanimously decided in favor of Smith in 2006.
Instead of the estate, the judgment saw her right to pursue a share of her late spouse's fortune in federal court.
Stern vs. Marshall
In mid-2006, E. Pierce Marshall died, so his widow continued the legal battler on his behalf. And after Anna died in 2007, Howard K. Stern (with whom Smith had an informal wedding ceremony in 2006 fall) took the case ahead on rights for daughter Dannielynn.
And it was the beginning of the Stern vs. Marshall dispute.
In June 2011, the Supreme Court decided against Smith's estate and ruled that the California bankruptcy court decision was without subject-matter jurisdiction. Moreover, it concluded that a bankruptcy court couldn't make decisions out of bankruptcy law.
A motion filed in 2011 at the U.S. district court to obtain $44 million in compensatory damages was ruled out by the federal court in 2014. Thus ended the legal battle with no entities to Dannielynn Birkhead, the daughter of Anna Cole Smith.
Did you know about the Dannielynn Birkhead paternity case?
Born on September 7, 2006, in Nassau, The Bahamas, the star kid's name was initially Hannah Rose Marshall Stern, as her mother Anna named attorney Howard K. Stern as her father on the birth certificate. However, Larry Birkhead (a celebrity photographer), Alexander Denk (Smith's bodyguard), and Frederic von Anhalt (a businessman ) filed the paternity claims after three days of her birth. After the DNA test, Larry Birkhead turned to be the biological father and won custody. Moreover, her name changed to Dannielynn Hope Marshall Birkhead.