George Michael's ex-boyfriend Kenny Goss wins share of star's will after court battle

13 May 2021, 09:01

George Michael’s former partner Kenny Goss will reportedly receive a share of the singer's £97 million estate, after a long-running legal battle.

The trustees of George Michael’s estate have now agreed a financial settlement with Kenny Goss, after the art dealer had demanded payments of £15,000 a month.

Goss claimed that George had supported him financially back when they were together from 1996 to 2009.

He has now agreed a settlement with trustees Christopher Organ and George Michael’s sister, Panayiota Panayiotou, according to documents released by the High Court in London.

Goss had sued the estate under the Inheritance (Provisions for Family and Dependents) Act 1975, which allows those who were previously financially dependent on someone to claim from their estate even if they are left out of the will.

George Michael died from heart and liver disease in 2016 aged 53. The majority of his estate went to his older sisters, his father, Jack, and other friends. However, he did not leave anything to Goss, or to his boyfriend at the time of his death, Fadi Fawaz.

George's sister Melanie died in December 2019, three years on from her brother's death.

In 2019, Wham! singer Andrew Ridgeley stated that he still had “a number of questions” about his friend and bandmate George Michael’s death.

Read more: George Michael's secret acts of astounding generosity revealed after death

In his autobiography, George and Me, Andrew wrote: “He seemed to be in good health and there are conflicting reports surrounding that night that preceded his passing.

“That the circumstances of his death seemed unclear only compounded the distress. Without any real closure the grieving seemed terribly raw.

“A heart condition was eventually recorded as the cause of death, but there are still a number of questions. It now seems as if we may never know what really happened.”

Who is Kenny Goss?

Kenny Goss is an art dealer and businessman. Born in Bromwood, Texas in 1958, he studied education and political science, and was also a gymnast and cheerleader at school.

George Michael met Goss at a Fred Segal restaurant in Los Angeles, after he moved there in 1988.

They first got together in 1996, but only went public with their relationship two years later, when George officially came out as gay in public.

In 2005, it was reported that the couple were planning to formalise their relationship with a civil partnership, but the ceremony was postponed.

The pair broke up in 2009 after 13 years together, but this was only announced by George announced on stage nearly three years later.

He said: “In truth Kenny and I haven’t been together for two and a half years. I love him very much. This man has brought me a lot of joy and pain.

“My love life has been a lot more turbulent than I’ve ever let on, and I’m so sad about my relationship with Kenny. I’m sorry for any pain.”

George wrote 'Where I Hope You Are' about his former lover, with lyrics that included: “For so long there’s been no-one else I care about. That my heart could really be so wrong again, well it wears me out. I had a picture in my soul, some place warm we could hang out when we’re old. Now it’s just – where I hope you are.”