By Ahmed Abdelsalam
A family dispute has broken out over an auction of George Michael memorabilia scheduled for Thursday, featuring items from the collection of his longtime personal assistant Siobhan Bailey.
Items up for auction
Auction house Sworders is selling 32 lots described as a "remarkable group of memorabilia" from Bailey's collection. The highlight is the vintage Gretsch Synchromatic guitar Michael played in the 1987 "Faith" music video, estimated at £60,000–£120,000. Other lots include a Filofax from the Faith tour with Bailey's handwritten notes, signed photographs, a note from Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, and gold and platinum discs awarded for sales milestones.
Family objections
Gerard Bailey, Siobhan's brother, told the BBC she "would be horrified" at the auction being held in her name. In a letter to Sworders, he called the sale a "breach of [Siobhan's] privacy" and the use of her name "disingenuous" and "wholly unethical." He asked that the auction be halted or conducted under the name of Ian Belcher, Siobhan's estranged husband, who inherited the items after her death in 2014. Both Sworders and Belcher declined to comment.
Legal background
Siobhan Bailey was in the process of divorcing Belcher when she died suddenly at 56, but they were still legally married and she left no will. Her estate therefore passed to Belcher. Gerard Bailey claims his sister had begun drafting a will that would have left the possessions to her nieces and nephews, but it was not registered. He acknowledges Belcher's legal right to sell but says the promotion in Siobhan's name is "frankly dishonourable."
Personal assistant's role
Bailey began working for Michael in 1984, the year Wham! scored their first number-one hit. She remained his personal assistant for 20 years, avoiding the limelight and guarding his privacy. Her brother said Michael trusted her deeply and gave her the Faith guitar as a gift because "he thought so much of her." He added that she would never have consented to selling such personal items and that the auction "breaks my heart."
