Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams' Daughter Heading Down Under to Feel Closer to Late Father: Report

Matilda Ledger was just two years old in 2008 when her father, The Dark Knight actor Heath Ledger, passed away, and she's allegedly packing up to discover his roots, RadarOnline.com has learned. Now that she's 17, a source told National Enquirer that she's taking a year to get to know her father by moving to his native Australia.

"Matilda just graduated high school and plans to take a year off before going to college," said the source. "She's heading to Australia to spend time with her grandparents and Heath's three sisters to really immerse herself in her father's history and how he grew up."

The gap year has the blessing of Matilda's mom, actress Michelle Williams, 42, who wed theater director Thomas Kail in 2020 (he's dad to her two younger kids).

"Michelle has been dedicated to making Heath feel alive to Matilda," said the source. "Michelle shares stories about his life and their time together. Matilda is wrapped in a lot of love from Heath's friends and family. It's been making the best of a tragic situation."

RadarOnline.com has reached out to Williams' rep for comment.

The Dawson's Creek actress said she "never gave up on love" after Ledger's accidental death from an accidental overdose "resulting from the abuse of prescribed medications."

Despite her daughter being a toddler at the time of her father's death, Williams has made sure Matilda knows how special her dad was.

"I always say to Matilda, 'Your dad loved me before anybody thought I was talented or pretty or had nice clothes,'" she recalled years ago.

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While Williams' only child "didn't grow up with her father," Williams shared that Matilda built a strong bond with her husband.

"Jeremy was serious enough to hold the weight of a child's broken heart and sensitive enough to understand how to approach her through play and games and silliness," she told PEOPLE. "She grew up with her Jeremy and we were changed by his ability to play as though his life depended upon it, because hers did."

Williams and Ledger secretly ended their relationship in 2007 — just one year before his death. 10 years after his unexpected passing, the actress married musician Phil Elverum. Their marriage was short-lived.

The two divorced one year later. Williams wed Kail in 2020.