George Michael’s memorial is taken down a year and a half after his death
George Michael (Getty)
George Michael’s fan-made memorial has been dismantled a year and a half after his death.
Fans had left tributes to the singer in the gardens in front of his Highgate home, after his sudden death on Christmas Day in 2016.
Gardeners have now been seen clearing out the area, taking away posters, flowers, and trinkets commemorating the star.
The family had asked fans to take down the memorial by the last weekend of May.
Tributes of flowers, photographs and candles are left outside the home of pop music icon George Michael (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
In a statement on Michael’s website, the family said: “We’ve been touched by your many tributes celebrating and remembering Yog [Michael’s nickname], reminding us how very much he is missed and loved.
“However, we feel we cannot expect our Highgate and Goring neighbours to continue to accept as normality, the memorials so personal to you all, to remain as and where they are any longer although, we do appreciate your recent efforts to minimise their impact.
“However, this is what we feel we now need to do.
“We would like to ask anyone that wants to, to come and collect your tributes to Yog, between the 1stMay (Tues) and the weekend of the 26th/27th of May, (Leaving any you wish us to have) so we can return both Mill Cottage, and The Grove to their former simple state.”
George Michael in 1985 (Getty)
They added: “Yog liked his privacy, his homes were true havens for him (-such a Cancerian!) and, ultimately, long term, we know he would not want to disturb or change the quiet neighbourhoods he so loved, for the people in the local area, who honestly , despite reports otherwise have been gracious and very understanding.”
They said their decision to remove the memorial was based on what Michael would have wanted to do, saying: “The family will continue to take decisions as we think he would have done.”
The family also encouraged fans to volunteer or donate to one of Michael’s favourite charities – and paid tribute to Michael’s pet labrador Abby, who died in April.
George Michael in 2005 (Getty)
In April, the former partner of George Michael announced he is selling off the late singer’s possessions because he needs the money.
Fadi Fawaz, who was with the Wham! star from 2011 until his death on Christmas Day 2016, posted a string of messages on Twitter in which he suggested he was struggling financially.
