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Stephen Gately's husband set to get €11m estate
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
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Stephen Gately's family have no intention of challenging his husband for the singer's €11m fortune.
After days of grieving in front of the world's media, the family from Sheriff Street have vowed not to make an issue of the money.
Because Stephen was legally married to Andrew Cowles in Britain, the internet guru is entitled to claim ownership of his London and Majorcan homes, as well as any investments or savings.
Stephen's devastated mum Margaret who still lives close to where she raised her family in the inner city said that Andrew was now part of their family.
She said that they "love Andrew" and would "be there for him". "He's one of the family -- Stephen loved him with all his heart and made my son happy," she said.
"I asked Stephen when they got together if it was love and he said it was more than anything he'd ever found."
It had also been reported that there were tensions between Andrew and Boyzone founder Louis Walsh, but the X Factor judge has moved to quash those rumours.
Louis said that he got on "very well" with Andrew and "always has".
Around 3,500 people lined the streets of Dublin on Saturday to listen to the funeral service on loud speakers, while thousands more watched on TV.
The family -- in a message read from the altar by Keith Duffy -- thanked Dublin solicitor Gerald Kean for being their spokesman and conduit at their time of tragedy.
A tribute party was held for 450 relatives and friends at the Four Seasons in Ballsbridge after the private cremation.
Guests were treated to video highlights of Stephen's pop career on large screens.
Boyzone member Shane Lynch said afterwards: "We gave him the farewell he deserved, a great send-off.
"We all deal with grief in our own ways, and this was our way. It was a brilliant night, fitting for a brilliant person."
The event -- reported to have cost €50,000 -- was attended by Westlife, Jason Donovan, Shayne Ward and Elton John's partner David Furnish.
Meanwhile, it seems almost certain that Boyzone will continue as a four-piece with their much anticipated album set to be a tribute to 'Steo'.
Ronan Keating made a promise to help finish the children's book Stephen was just days from concluding.
The group had been planning a British and Ireland tour next year to coincide with the release of their new album.
Stephen had hand-picked much of the material for the new album and had spoken to Ronan Keating about his excitement on the day before he died.
If a series of concerts does happen, it is likely that at least some of the proceeds will go to the Caudwell Children's Charity which Stephen worked as an ambassador for.
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WH & MS. What is the problem? I think it is interesting that his entire estate is going to his husband. I would have thought it would have been divided up between husband and family. But there you go. Has nothing to do with homophobia. And comparing it to the vile Daily Mail article is just being stupid. Wise up the pair of you.
Posted by Tina | 20.10.09, 22:42 GMT
WH & MS:
The Civil Partnership Act 2004 gives civil partners the same rights in relation to their partners' estates as spouses have to each other's where either partner dies testate (with a will) or intestate (without a will).
The article does not say that Stephen had made a will. If he had (and presuming his partner was the main beneficiary) then the scope for the parents challenging it would be very limited.
If he died intestate then under the legislation applying to both spouses and civil partners his parents would be entitled to half of Stephen's estate over the legislative threshold (which I think is a few hundred thousand pounds) with his partner taking the other half and the sum beneath the threshold.
The parents would therefore have a claim on a large part of their son's estate and so would be quite generous to waive it in favour of his partner.
As to why this is news, however, I am utterly baffled.
P.S. Any probate lawyers are free to correct to me!
Posted by Daniel | 20.10.09, 17:07 GMT
yep - another homophobic lite article from the belfast mail, sorry telegraph - when was the last time an article like this was written after a heterosexual spouse died? catch up with the real world BT - civil partnerships have been legal for 4 years now and the sky has not fallen in - but many people have been given legal protections when a loved one dies
Posted by mk | 20.10.09, 15:16 GMT
The point of this article is what????
Posted by Chris Shiels | 20.10.09, 14:58 GMT
**BREAKING NEWS**
Shock! Wow! Yowzaa! Kerpow! The Gately Family will not be challenging a water-tight, legally enforcable will. Why are we telling you this? Well, he was gay you know? Would we have told you this 'news' if Mr Gately was a heterosexual man? Of course not, we know you are stupid, but we don't want to take you for idiots.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is subtle homophobia in practice. If Mr Gately was married to a woman, and this tragic event occured, do you think there would have been a mention of challenging a will? I honestly do not think that there would have been. But, we shall never know.
Sort it out Belfast Telegraph! Please do not turn into the Daily Mail.
Posted by WH | 20.10.09, 12:21 GMT
Why should it be assumed the family would challenge a lawful will?
Oh wait, I get it, the BT know the readership all to well.
Such circumstance is exactly why same sex civil partnerships were made legal, without such a provision Gatley's husband could have been left in legal limbo.
Not that the conservaprats who visit these pages care about the realities of living with the discrimination they would force on us all.
Posted by MS | 20.10.09, 09:57 GMT