27th December, 2019
Late British singer and songwriter, George Michael’s sister Melanie Panayiotou has been found dead at her home in Hampstead, northwest London on Wednesday, December 25, 2019.
According to a statement released by the family, Melanie “passed away suddenly” over Christmas.
The hairdresser died at the age of 55 exactly three years since the singer’s death on Christmas Day 2016.
George was found dead at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on Christmas Day 2016, aged 53.
“We would simply ask that the family’s privacy be respected at this very sad time,” the family said in the statement.
The Metropolitan Police also confirmed the death in a statement, which read: “Police were called by London Ambulance Service at approximately 1935hrs on Wednesday, 25 December to reports of the sudden death of a woman, aged in her 50s.
“The death is not being treated as suspicious by police.”
Melanie and George – whose mother Lesley died in 1997 – are survived by their father Kyriacos, known as Jack, and their oldest sister Yioda, 57.
Melanie and her brother were close, and she was left part of his estate – which included a £97.6million fortune and a Grade II listed mansion in Highgate, North London – after his death.
In November she stood up for her brother in a magazine article, saying he was ‘my ‘very proud to be gay’ brother, contrary to what you may have read recently.’