Morning:
13°c
An awesome and ridiculous film that leaves you thrilled beyond the point of your natural endurance
Ministry of Defence spent £149 million on an "urgent" upgrade to 900 tanks that are now only being used in training exercises, it was revealed
More...
Larry Birkhead revealed as father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter
Last updated at 17:22pm on 11.04.07Anna Nicole Smith's ex-boyfriend has been named as the father of her daughter. DNA tests proved that Larry Birkhead was related to seven-month-old Dannielynn - who could one day inherit £200million.
The child's mother, 39, who was Playboy magazine's Playmate of the Year in 1993, died of an accidental drugs overdose in February.
Scroll down for more
A jubilant Larry Birkhead as he left the Bahamas court
At 26, she had married oil baron J Howard Marshall when he was 89. He died within 14 months leaving Miss Smith to fight with his family for a share of a $1.6billion fortune.
Emerging from a Bahamas court, where the DNA hearing was held, Mr Birkhead, 34, walked up to a bank of microphones and said: "I hate to be the one that said I told you so - but, I told you so."
The tests showed that Mr Birkhead is 99.99999 per cent certain to be the father.
Howard K Stern, the lawyer and boyfriend of Anna, had claimed to be the baby's father when he signed her birth certificate.
DNA tests have revealed that Larry Birkhead (left) is the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter
He dragged out the paternity case for weeks, insisting he was the blood relation and refusing to allow DNA tests.
Other men, including Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband, Prince Fredrick von Anhalt, had also come forward claiming to be the girl's father.
Mr Birkhead, an LA showbusiness photographer, fought through three courts, in California, Florida, and the Bahamas, to get the tests.
The hearing did not resolve when he will take custody of his daughter, or where she will be brought up.
He said: "There are certain things that I cannot talk about because this is a family court. But I can say I will be bringing my daughter home soon.
"It's been a long road and I am just happy to have this behind me now." Although the judge imposed some reporting restrictions, Mr Birkhead added: "Nothing has been determined except for parentage."
When asked how he would celebrate, he said: "I'm going to a toy store!"
Mr Birkhead said the child was his only remaining connection to his former lover.
"Our daughter, Dannielynn is a constant reminder of the love we shared and the life that we desired."
Mr Stern, who was Anna's partner at the time of her death, told Mr Birkhead-that he would not fight the ruling-He said: "I now intend to see that the best interests of Dannielynn are carried out." After the result, the two men hugged on the courthouse steps.
Anna's estranged mother, Virgie Arthur, is still expected to fight for custody. She is unlikely to succeed as Anna had not spoken to her for years. After the hearing she said: "I'm glad that my granddaughter knows who her father is."
Experts said that once legal battles over Mr Marshall's fortune are resolved, any money inherited by Dannielynn would be locked away in a trust fund.
Anna was buried next to the grave of her son Daniel. He died in September.
Reader views (2)
Would all these men have tried to prove they were the father if the baby wasn't potentially worth millions? They'd probably be wanting to prove they weren't the father!
- Kay, London
Hopefully now the question over the baby's paternity has been solved she can grow up like any normal child. she's been thrust into the limelight at such a young age and with already people fighting over her for the her money, lets just hope there are people looking after her.
- Nancy, St Johns Wood
