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Julian Lennon had to buy back letters he wrote to his dad John Lennon at auction for heartbreaking reason
Home>Music>News
Published 17:13 5 Jan 2025 GMT

Julian Lennon had to buy back letters he wrote to his dad John Lennon at auction for heartbreaking reason

The musician was forced to buy his dad's letters back with the money he received as part of a settlement after suing his dad's estate

Joe Yates

Joe Yates

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Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images/Vinnie Zuffante

Topics: Celebrity, Viral, Parenting, Money, UK News, Music

Joe Yates
Joe Yates

Joe is a journalist for UNILAD, who particularly enjoys writing about crime. He has worked in journalism for five years, and has covered everything from murder trials to celeb news.

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John Lennon was tragically assassinated in December 1980 when his son Julian was just 17-years-old.

The two didn't have the best relationship, and Julian's relationship with his stepmom Yoko Ono was even worse, or at least became worse in the years following his death.

John was all about 'peace and love', but Julian didn't see him in that light and actually called his dad a 'hypocrite' in an interview with UK-based publication The Daily Telegraph, years after his father was murdered.

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Although, Julian was reportedly inspiration for three of The Beatles' hit songs - 'Hey Jude', 'Good Night' and, of course, ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’.

But with John and Julian's mom Cynthia divorcing each other in 1968, Julian didn't see too much of him.

After John was murdered in December 1980, Julian expressed his confusion and resentment towards his father:

Speaking per the Tamba Bay Times, Julian talked about his resentment towards his dad.

“I’ve never really wanted to know the truth about how dad was with me. There was some very negative stuff talked about me … like when he said I’d come out of a whiskey bottle on a Saturday night. Stuff like that," he said.

Julian Lennon famously didn't have a close relationship with his genius dad (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Julian Lennon famously didn't have a close relationship with his genius dad (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Adding: “You think, where’s the love in that? Paul and I used to hang about quite a bit … more than Dad and I did. We had a great friendship going and there seems to be far more pictures of me and Paul playing together at that age than there are pictures of me and my dad."

Julian was reportedly excluded from his dad's will after his death and instead John created a trust valued at £100,000 at the time, which is $124,000 in today's exchange rate.

He then sued his dad's estate in 1996 and a settlement of $20 million was reached - which bizarrely he used to buy back his dad's own possessions.

John Lennon And His Son Julian On 1968. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)
John Lennon And His Son Julian On 1968. (Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

Speaking during an interview on The Dini Petty Show in 1999, he said: "The most ironic thing is with the settlement that I did receive, is that I’ve been buying his stuff back with that, so, I’m buying his stuff back with his money, which is absolutely insane.”

Yes, Julian had to actually buy his own dad's letters back!

So, when and why did he call his dad a hypocrite?

Well, speaking to the Telegraph, he said: “I have to say that, from my point of view, I felt he was a hypocrite.

"Dad could talk about peace and love out loud to the world but he could never show it to the people who supposedly meant the most to him: his wife and son. How can you talk about peace and love and have a family in bits and pieces—no communication, adultery, divorce? You can’t do it, not if you’re being true and honest with yourself."

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