Husband of iconic children's book author leaves huge £1.3million fortune to family after his death
LEGEND'S LEGACY Husband of iconic children's book author leaves huge £1.3million fortune to family after his death
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THE BELOVED husband of Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson left a £1.3m fortune to his family, it has emerged.
Dr Malcolm Donaldson was a paediatric consultant and senior lecturer in child health at the University of Glasgow until his retirement.
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The husband of author Julia Donaldson left a £1.3million fortune to his family
Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
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Julia's bestselling children's books include The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child
Credit: Getty
The university later appointed him honorary senior research fellow at its School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing.
He was married to Julia, whose children's books The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child have been global best-sellers, for 52 years.
He passed away aged 75 in September last year, and probate documents revealed he left an estate valued at £1,322,528.
A will he prepared in 2020 instructed his fortune should be handed to his family.
Julia is the author of over 184 published works and a former Children's Laureate.
The Gruffalo was first published in 1999 and has sold more than 13.5m copies.
The couple lived in the Glasgow suburb of Bearsden from 1987 until moving to Surrey in 2014.
As a highly respected academic, Dr Donaldson wrote or contributed to more than 180 publications, papers and books.
But he was also an accomplished actor, singer and guitarist who accompanied his wife to perform her songs and stories at festivals, schools, libraries and bookshops around the world.
His younger patients also gave him the affectionate nickname Dr Gruffalo.
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Tributes were paid to Donaldson after his death.
Axel Scheffler, who illustrated the Gruffalo books, said: 'I have known Malcolm for 30 years and always admired his enthusiasm for our books, Julia's work and children's books in general.
"All this, besides being a paediatric consultant and giving lectures all over the world.
"His true passion was performing with Julia on stage, playing the guitar and acting – especially his legendary suave role of the Fox in The Gruffalo.
"He will be deeply missed.'
The British Society for Paediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes (BSPED) said: "His contributions will continue to resonate in the field of paediatric endocrinology and child health in the UK, Europe and beyond for many years to come.
"His warmth, wisdom and gentle spirit will be deeply missed but forever remembered by all who knew him."
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