Legendary actress and singer Marianne Faithfull has left our world. A spokesperson announced the death of the British pop star on Thursday, January 30, 2025. Tributes have poured in from her friends and colleagues who described the music icon as a “beautiful singer and a great actress.”
A spokesperson of her music promotion company, Republic Media, broke the news officially through a statement. “It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter, and actress Marianne Faithfull,” it stated. “Marianne passed away peacefully in London today in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.”
Marianne Faithfull was born on December 29, 1946. She became a star before 17 and is known for numerous chart-topping hits. Some of her greatest works include “As Tears Go By,” which she released as a single in 1964. The song reached the UK top 5 music chart.
She also made a mark in the movie industry. In 1968, she starred in the erotic/romance movie “The Girl on a Motorcycle.” She played Rebecca, an unhappy married woman who left her husband in France in search of romantic adventure. The trip led her to Germany, where she met her lover, Daniel.
Marianne Faithfull was also popularly known as the girlfriend of Rolling Stones arrowhead, Mick Jagger. The pair were not just romantically attached; they worked together to make music, too. Faithfull was also the inspiration behind hit songs such as “Wild Horses” and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.”
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Who Was Marianne Faithfull Married To?
Marianne Faithfull was married three times. Her first marriage was to John Dunbar, who was her art student before they tied the knot in May 1965. Faithfull first met Dunbar when she was 16 years old. She became pregnant for him and gave birth to their son Nicholas Dunbar in November 1965.
Speaking about the marriage, Faithfull stated that she enjoyed it. “It was magic, like a whole door had opened up to this world.” But the marriage didn’t survive up to two years. John Dunbar called it quits in 1966 due to Faithfull’s unavailability. The musician was, at the time, unable to balance her career and motherhood.
Marianne Faithfull tied the knot with Ben Brierly after he divorced John Dunbar. Ben Brierly was a musician and member of The Vibrators, a punk band that was a regular feature at London’s Roxy Club in the 1970s. The wedding took place in 1979.
Again, the marriage didn’t survive for very long. Marianne Faithfull discovered that Brierly was cheating on her and divorced him after seven years of marriage.
Marianne Faithfull’s third marriage was with Giorgio Della Terza. He was an actor who played in a number of high-profile movies, such as 1998’s “Twenty Peaches in a Box.” He also acted in “American Hog” in 2003. The couple kept the marriage private and never spoke about it, even after the 3-year marriage ended.
Aside from these three marriages, Faithfull was also involved in a number of romantic relationships. She dated men such as American singer and songwriter Gene Pitney, rocker Mick Jagger, and Howard Toss, who she met in rehab in 1985. She also dated music producer Francois Ravard after her divorce from Terza.
How Many Children Did Marianne Faithfull Have?
Marianne Faithfull had two children, Corrina Jagger and Nicholas Dunbar, before her death on January 30, 2025. She also recently became a grandmother. She gave birth to Nicholas Dunbar for her first husband, John Dunbar, in November 1966. But she had Corrina for her Rolling Stones partner Mike Jagger while they dated from 1966 to 1970.
Mike Jagger has reacted to the death of his former lover. “I am so saddened to hear of the death of Marianne Faithfull,” he stated. “She was so much a part of my life for so long. She was a wonderful friend, a beautiful singer, and a great actress,” he added.
What Was Marianne Faithfull’s Biggest Hit?
Marianne Faithfull was a super-talented musician. She released many top tracks during the peak of her career, which was plagued with marriage and relationship crises. She also took a break from music to treat her drug overdose challenge. However, her biggest hit was “As Tears Go By,” a 1964 track that had Mike Jagger as one of its writers.
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She also released other popular pieces of music such as “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “This Little Bird,” “Something Better,” “Summer Nights,” “Broken English,” “Yesterday,” and “Is This What I Get for Loving You?”
She bagged numerous high-profile awards, too. In 1981, she won a Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for her song “Broken English.” She also won the European Film Award as Best Actress for her role in 2007’s tragicomedy, “Irina Palm.”
What Happened to Marianne Faithful?
Marianne Faithfull’s life was a rollercoaster. She endured many rough moments in her love life, career, and even her health. These range from suffering a miscarriage in the 1960s while she was seven months pregnant, almost dying from a drug overdose, and losing custody of her son to John Dunbar to living in the streets of London.
Marianne Faithfull also had multiple health challenges, including a long-running battle with anorexia and hepatitis. She also broke her hip in an accident, struggled with cancer, and survived COVID-19 in 2020. Faithfull survived the COVID-19 infection after doctors predicted otherwise. She then released her last and 21st album, “She Walks in Beauty,” in 2021.
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