Executors have onerous duties to safeguard beneficiaries interests and to act relatively promptly. However despite these duties one can come across rogue executors who can distress beneficiaries, mainly due to delay and of course it is always possible for them to attempt fraud. There are remedies for either possibility however they entail court actions which will ultimately reduce the amount for distribution as quite often costs come out of the estate. Is it now possible for this relative to make a new will naming perhaps your friend as the executor instead of her husband? That would be the best solution. If this is too delicate she will simply have to keep a close eye on the situation in the event of her relative dying.