George Michael memorabilia auction prompts family dispute

A family dispute has erupted over an auction of George Michael memorabilia, with Siobhan Bailey’s brother asking that the sale be stopped or held in the name of her estranged husband, who inherited the collection.

The 32-lot sale was scheduled by Sworders for Thursday, 29 October. Its centrepiece is the guitar Michael played in the video for “Faith”, estimated at £60,000 to £120,000. The catalogue also lists photographs, tour material and gold and platinum discs from Bailey’s collection. Whether the auction went ahead or any items sold has not been confirmed.

Gerard Bailey told the BBC that his sister would have been horrified by the sale and objected to her name being used to promote it. He said the family viewed the auction as an invasion of her privacy. Sworders and Ian Belcher declined to comment, the BBC reported.

Bailey was Michael’s personal assistant for 20 years. She died in 2014 while still legally married to Belcher, despite being in the process of divorcing him, and left no will. The BBC reported that her estate passed to Belcher. Her brother said she had begun drafting a will shortly before her death that would have left the items to her nieces and nephews, but it was never registered.

Bailey acknowledged that Belcher has the legal right to sell the items, but asked that the auction either not proceed or be conducted in Belcher’s name. He said the guitar had been a gift from Michael to his sister.