The man, known only as Constantino, was taken to court in Spain by his late wife’s sister in a row over an alleged affair, The Times reports.

His late wife drew up a will in 1975 which stipulated – in line with a Spanish tradition at the time – that he could not remarry after his death. She died in 1996 and he inherited her estate.

However, her sister alleged that Constantino had begun an affair with another woman in the late 1980s and maintained the relationship until that woman died in 2016.

Constantino claimed that the other woman was his cousin and they were spending lots of time in each other’s company due to family affection.

He failed to persuade the court, which said there was evidence of “an affectionate relationship of conjugal appearance” and ordered him to return all of his late wife’s assets.