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Brothers & Sisters From Another Mother

“The love for Sean, and the love for Yoko, and Stella, and Paul, and Mary, and Dhani, and Zak—it’s a big old, weird family. But as they say, families are always a bit screwed up.”

Julian, 2023

"Listen, we all love and respect each other, no question about that. You know, I mean, Zak and I used to hang out together way back when. He was an amazing drummer back then even when we were in our 20s. Dhani's a great kid. Lovely, lovely guy."

Julian, 2023

Julian and Zak on a boat in Weybridge (originally posted in Thanks Mo)

Photographed by Ringo Starr

Jason Starkey and Julian at the opening night of Hard Rock Cafe in New York City on March 12, 1984 

George Harrison, Julian, Ringo Starr, and Lee Starkey backstage during the Natural Law Party at the Royal Albert Hall in London on April 6, 1992 

Maureen and Augusta Tigrett

I really think Julian was more closer to the Starkey children for two reasons, 1) Julian, Zak, and Jason were born during The Beatles years, and 2) their mothers Cynthia and Maureen were great friends. Maureen, along with her two daughters Lee and Augusta, and Julian lived in Los Angeles for some years during the late 1980s/early 1990s - I definitely believe Maureen and Julian were in contact due to some comments Julian made to Zak on Instagram (though he didn't say that, only that he missed their mothers very much and that tells me Julian and Maureen were close). 

"The boys had always been playmates. ... After their son Zak was born in September, seven months after the wedding, she (Maureen) and I used to go up to Knightsbridge to shop. We'd buy cute little outfits for our sons and we were always on the lookout for something different of special for the men. ...He (Ringo) and John would race the go-carts or play pool while Maureen and I chatted over a cup of tea or took Zak and Julian for a walk. Ringo's other passion was making his own short films. He had lots of equipment and loved to experiment, so after the nanny had taken over Zak and Julian we'd watched his latest movie."

Cynthia, from her book John, 2005

With life journeys and the death of Maureen in late 1994, communication between Julian with Zak, Jason, and Lee diminished for a number of years. Although when Lee had her brain tumor in 1995 and a recurrence in 2001, Julian sent Lee a bouquet of flowers wishing her well. 

"I haven't seen him for a long time, but it's been a nice gesture."

Lee Starkey, 1996

Now, thanks to social media, especially Instagram, Julian follows Zak, Jason, and Augusta - not really sure with Lee - but I do know both Jason and Augusta follow him back. I don't think Zak does but he has liked some pictures of Julian's and responded to him, particularly about the Tittenhurst Park home when Zak posted some pictures of memories (Julian had no recollections over the other small homes on the property, Zak tried to help his memory by sharing that Maureen decorated one of the homes herself hands on.) I think the only one that Julian kept in touch the most was Augusta, despite the almost 24 years age difference. Julian has been associated with Hard Rock Cafe, owned by Maureen's second husband Isaac Tigrett. 

"Actually I saw him [Zak] for the first time in maybe 10 years the other day. He's a sweetheart, actually." 

Julian, 1993 

John and Heather McCartney at Apple Studios in the basement of Apple Corps in London, January 26, 1969

Julian with Paul and Mary McCartney at Paul's Eyes of the Storm at the National Portrait Gallery on June 26, 2023 in London

Julian and Stella McCartney at her Get Back Capsule Fashion Collection and documentary release premiere of Peter Jackson's Get Back at The Jim Henson Company on November 18, 2021 in Los Angeles

James and Paul McCartney attended Stella McCartney's London Fashion Week at the Royal British Institute on September 14, 2014 in London

Beatrice and Paul McCartney on the beach in The Hamptons, New York on August 24, 2008

I like to think that Heather and Julian played together once or twice in the period of October of 1968 until April of 1970 when The Beatles officially broke up. Although I am absolutely not sure until someone from MPL Communications release a photo by Linda McCartney. But they must have met, right? Certainly in 1974 when Julian was visiting John and May Pang in Los Angeles, the McCartney family (Mary and Stella now included) dropped in. Other than that, Julian and Paul/family rarely saw each other over the years: Julian did see Mary at the Natural Law Party in 1992 with Dhani, Zak, Jason, and Lee. In 1999, Julian was at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Paul with Stella as Paul's date. Then I think such meetings dwindled until most recently. The first kickoff of reconnecting was George Martin's memorial service where just about every Beatle family member attended. Thanks (again) to social media (once again Instagram), Julian follows Mary, Stella, and James - Mary follows Julian while Stella and James don't seem to although Stella did tag Julian once so she does know his Instagram handle. Stella hosted her new fashion line dedicated to The Beatles when Get Back came out with Julian and Sean in attendance in 2021. In 2023, Julian went to Paul's Eyes of the Storm exhibition with Mary, Stella, and James there. I don't know if Julian ever met Beatrice (born in 2003) at this time of writing.

Julian and Dhani hanging out together in Los Angeles, April of 2017

Sometime in the 1980s Julian visited George at Friar Park, Dhani was a little kid at the time and it's more than likely they first met. Another known encounter was at the Natural Law Party in 1992. After that it was many years until Julian and Dhani saw each other at the LOVE show in Las Vegas in 2006. I think after 2010s, Julian and Dhani saw each other more frequently then ever - 2013 (John Varvatos: Rock In Fashion), 2017 (Los Angeles hangout), and 2023 (Julian attending Dhani's concert). There's also Instagram. I think Julian attended Dhani's wedding to Sola Karadottir in 2012 but I'm not 100% sure on that - granted Dhani once said "everyone was there" and Julian congratulated Dhani and Sola on Facebook (by the way,. Dhani and Sola have since divorced). Julian met Dhani's girlfriend Mereki Beach at Dhani's concert.