The Guernsey Court of Appeal's discussion in this case is
helpful for practitioners and trustees alike as to the meaning of
the commonly used word 'share' in a trust instrument.
The settlor had established two trusts, the K Trust and the A
Trust, to provide for his spouse and infant twin daughters. His
spouse was the principal beneficiary of the A Trust.
The K Trust instrument stated that the trustees "will
apply", at their discretion, a "notional
split" of the Trust Fund in line with the settlor's
wish that his daughters benefitted equally as far as possible. If a
daughter died without children surviving her, the trustees were to
distribute her "share...as determined" by
transferring half to the A Trust and half to the surviving
daughter's 'share' of the K Trust.