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George Michael family tree including his two sisters Melanie and Yioda The Sun

GEORGE Michael is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

The gay icon passed away on December 25, 2016 with his sister, Melanie tragically following him three years to the day later. Here's everything you need to know about the star's family.

Who are George Michael's parents?

The singer's mum and dad, Kyriacos 'Jack' Panayiotou, 83, and Lesley Angold married after his dad moved from Cyprus to England in 1953.

The restaurateur changed his name from Greek-Cypriot Kyriacos Panayiotou to the slightly more anglicised Jack Pana.

The couple lived in East Finchley, London where Jack worked as a waiter before being promoted to restaurant manager.

Lesley was a Dancer, with George telling fans in an interview with the Guardian "I owe my mother [for] who I am."

She died of cancer in 1997, with George's body being laid to rest next to hers in Highgate West Cemetery in North London.

He added: "I owe my father my drive."

Despite being Anglo-Greek, the singer revealed that he was technically Jewish.

In a June 2008 interview, Michael told the Los Angeles Times that his mum's mum was Jewish but had married a non-Jew and kept her roots a secret as the horror of World War two unfolded.

He said: "She thought if they didn’t know that their mother was Jewish, they wouldn’t be at risk".

Who are George Michael's sisters?

Yioda, 57, and Melanie, 55, are George Michael's older sisters.

Michael left £97.6million to his sisters, his dad and a string of friends.

His will confirms the bulk of his estate goes to sisters Yioda and Melanie.

A source said: “George was devoted to his dad and sisters, they were always going to be looked after".

Melanie

Melanie was born in 1960, three years before George.

George was particularly close to Melanie, a hairdresser, who travelled the world with him at the height of his fame.

A source told The Sun that Melanie "was there at many of the big milestones in his life, and was there by his side until the very end".

She sadly died on December 25, 2019 - exactly three years after her beloved brother passed away.

She was found by her older sister Yioda at her home in North London.

It is understood Melanie had suffered a short illness before she passed away in hospital on Christmas day.

Taking to Twitter, George's bandmate Andrew wrote: "Utterly tragic news of Mel Panayiotou’s passing.

"My thoughts are with her sister and father at this desperately sad time."

Backing singer Shirlie, who was one of seven people left money in George's will, today paid tribute to "one of the kindest most considerate of others I had ever met".

Yioda

Yioda, born in 1958 was the eldest of the siblings.

The singer's will asks Yioda to decide which friends get what.

A source said at the time: “It’s a lovely gesture to name his closest friends.

“But in the end he’s left it all up to Yioda."

The source adds that George always trusted Yioda to "do the right thing".

The sisters hosted a wake after Goeroge's funeral at the his house in Hampstead - less than a mile from Highgate Cemetery, where he is buried alomgside his mum.

They were joined by 80-year-old dad Kyriacos and cousins in paying tribute to George.

Who were George Michael's partners?

The singers most poignant and documented relationships were with long-term partner, Kenny Goss and on-agaion-off-again boyfriend, Fadi Fawaz.

The two men were extremely special to George, with Kenny being described as the "love of his life" and Fadi discovering George's body on Christmas day, 2016 as he headed over for lunch.

Kenny Goss

Kenny Goss was with George Michael for thirteen years, and was praised as "the love of his life".

He even founded a charity with the late singer, The Goss-Michael Foundation.

Kenny Goss is an art dealer and businessman who was born in Bromwood, Texas, in 1958 to "alcoholic, dysfunctional parents".

The couple met at a Fred Segal restaurant in Los Angeles after he moved there in 1988.

Kenny and George got together in 1996, but only went public two years later, when George came out as gay after being arrested for “performing a lewd act” in a California toilet.

George later said he had remained closeted because he worried what effect his sexuality would have on his mother.

It was reported in 2005 that the couple were set to formalise their relationship with a civil partnership, but the ceremony was postponed.

It is not known whether they ever went through with it.

The pair broke up in 2009 after 13 years together, which was kept quiet until George announced it on stage nearly three years later.

The singer wrote “Where I Hope You Are” about his former lover, with lyrics that said: “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.”

Fadi Fawaz

Fadi was thrust into the spotlight when he told how he discovered George Michael's lifeless body "peacefully" in bed on Christmas Day 2016.

Australian-born Fadi Fawaz, 45, is a hairdresser to the stars who previously worked as a photographer and frequently posts his pictures on social media.

He was first photographed with George in 2015 after they were snapped walking together in Switzerland.

George and Fadi first met in 2009. The pair started their romance shortly after George's split with his long-term partner Kenny Goss.

Troubled Fadi has had a tumultuous few years since the death of George, who he was in a relationship with for seven years.

The snapper has tweeted a barrage of controversial things about his ex, including one tweet where he said he "hates" him.

He is also reported to have demanded money after the singer's death, been living in his house, been sleeping rough and been arrested.

George Michael song 'This Is How (We Want You To Get High)' released three years after singer's death will feature in the movie Last Christmas

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Reinaldo Massengill

Update: 2024-09-14