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Aretha Franklin's Partner & Sons To Fight For $80M Fortune

Feb. 25 2019, Updated 11:48 a.m. ET

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Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin broke her fans' hearts when she died on Thursday, August 16, inside her Detroit home after years of battling cancer.

But now, hours after her death, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned the late singer’s partner and sons will fight for her $80 million fortune!

The legend, who passed at 76, lived with local firefighter Willie Wilkerson, 70, for thirty years until her tragic death.

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The pair got engaged in 2012 — but Franklin’s sons quickly became worried that the man in their mother’s life would want to steal their hefty inheritance, The National ENQUIRER reported at the time.

Franklin soon called off their wedding, but continued her relationship with Wilkerson.

"Aretha finally listened to her boys," a source told the ENQUIRER.

The superstar was a mother to sons Clarence, 63, Edward, 61, Ted White Jr., 54, and Kecalf Cunningham, 48.

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“Her sons have all been involved in her career,” a family insider told RadarOnline.com, who added they’ll fight tooth and nail to keep their mother’s money in the family.

But a source close to Wilkerson told RadarOnline.com he believes it’s only fair he receive a portion of her estate.

As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Franklin battled pancreatic cancer and weight problems in her sad final years — but never gave up fighting to regain her health.

Aretha’s a strong woman of faith,” her nephew Tim Franklin told RadarOnline.com exclusively.

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