‘It’s already been three years’: George Michael’s ‘cousin’ pleads with his family to erect a permanent memorial to the star so fans can have a place to grieve
- Andros Georgiou, 57, was a lifelong friend of Wham singer George Michael
- He said the singer’s family should consider creating a public memorial for fans
- Michael died on Christmas Day 2016 at his home in Goring of natural causes
- A post mortem found that the singer was suffering from fatty liver disease
A close friend of George Michael has urged his family to build a memorial to the late star who died on Christmas Day 2016.
Andros Georgiou, 57, who said he was so close to the star that they described each other as ‘cousins’, believes fans should have a place to go to mourn the Last Christmas star.
The singer, who died at his home in Goring, Berkshire, is buried beside his mother in an un-marked grave in Highgate Cemetery in north London.
Andros Georgiou, left, grew up with George Michael, right, and was had planned to meet up with him in January 2017. However, the singer died at this home in Goring, Buckinghamshire on Christmas Day 2016
Fans have been leaving floral tributes outside George Michael’s house on the anniversary of his death
Mr Georgiou told the Sunday Mirror: ‘I believe the family are planning to have a simple cross on George’s grave with nothing on it.
‘There should be an inscription on there. It should be his nickname, Yog, and something like, “The man and his music”. That’s how we all knew him.
‘That needs to happen for the friends and family, and the estate need to make that happen. The sooner the better really – it’s already been three years.’
Mr Georgiou suggests that his family could possibly plant a tree behind a fence with some flowers behind it as George loved nature.
The star was buried in March 2018, almost three months after he died in a private ceremony in Highgate Cemetery.
His body was found by his former partner, hairdresser Fadi Fawaz, at his home in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, on Christmas Day.
Andros Georgiou shared this photograph of himself and his father with the singer on Facebook on the day after his death
Fawaz has faced a wave of criticism since Michael’s death, including rumours that he had been banned from attending his former lover’s funeral. He recently denied the reports.
Oxfordshire’s senior coroner, Darren Salter, said there would not be an inquest as a final post-mortem examination report showed that he died of natural causes.
The examination revealed that he suffered from dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis and fatty liver, which can be linked to drug and alcohol abuse.
Fans of the star erected a temporary shrine outside Michael’s home Highgate.
However, councillors in Goring-upon-Thames blocked plans for a permanent memorial near the house where he died.
Mr Georgiou said he had fallen out with the singer some 19 years ago but they were planning to meet up in January 2017.