John Lennon’s son Sean Ono Lennon has addressed claims about the inheritance he and his brother Julian Lennon received following their father’s death, in comments shared via his X account. Sean Ono Lennon stated that the two brothers received equal amounts from their father’s estate.
A Beatles fan had commented on Sean’s post about celebrating his birthday with Julian, claiming that one brother was “largely cut out” of the inheritance while the other received most of the estate. The comment suggested that Julian had been forced to pursue litigation to secure “a comparatively small share” of his father’s wealth.
Sean Ono Lennon responded directly to these claims. “Julian and I inherited the same amount from our dad. Our trusts were equal. Although his was slightly more, but negligibly so,” he said.
The remarks came as Sean marked his birthday with his brother following their father’s death.
John Lennon was killed on December 8, 1980, at the age of 40. Julian, John’s son with his first wife Cynthia Lennon, was 17 at the time, while Sean, John’s son with Yoko Ono, was 5. The 1979 will left the majority of John’s estate to Yoko Ono and Sean through a living trust, and no provision was made for Julian in the will.
Julian challenged his father’s estate after being omitted from the will. After a 16-year legal battle, a settlement was reached in 1996, with reports putting its value at £20 million, or about $31.2 million. John had established a trust fund with £250,000 for Julian when he turned 25, and after the 1968 divorce, a second trust valued at £100,000 was put in place.
Despite the inheritance dispute and their different upbringings, the brothers have maintained a close relationship. Sean previously told Vanity Fair that “Julian and I have always been close. He was my hero when I was young”. Julian has acknowledged their bond, saying “I’m thankful that Sean and I get on like a house on fire – we’re best buddies”.
