Hilary Devey CBE, despite an estimated wealth of £80 million, reportedly left no money in her will. The former star of BBC's Dragons' Den passed away at the age of 65 in June 2022 while holidaying in Marrakesh, Morocco. The Bolton-born entrepreneur had been battling a long illness, and her passing prompted heartfelt tributes from former colleagues and viewers alike.

A year after her death, some details of her will emerged. Despite her substantial fortune, Hilary bequeathed only material possessions, including jewellery, to her nearest and dearest. According to the Daily Mail, Hilary's 2021 will stipulated that her iconic diamond cross go to her friend Audrey Mulligan, while her personal effects were left to her son Mevlit Brewster-Ahmet and her publicist and lawyer, who acted as trustees. This left the fate of her estimated £80 million fortune shrouded in mystery.

Hilary's early life in the North West was a far cry from her later success. As a young child, she witnessed bailiffs seizing goods from her family home following the bankruptcy of her father Arthur Brewster's central heating company, reports the Mirror.

However, this adversity only fuelled Hilary's ambition, leading her to establish her own pallet company, funded by the sale of her house and car.

Reflecting on her drive for success, Devey once remarked: "I didn't want my son to go without so I pushed myself hard to build a life for us. Fortunately, I was always good with numbers and I loved the cut and thrust of business."

Her relentless efforts ultimately bore fruit.

During her lifetime, she was deeply involved in charitable activities, offering a penny from each distributed pallet by her company, Pall-Ex, as part of the 'Penny a Pallet' initiative.

For her significant contributions to the transport sector and her philanthropic endeavours, she received recognition in the 2013 Birthday Honours list, where she was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).