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John Lennon famously spoke about becoming a “househusband” to raise his second child, but he had a more distant relationship with his eldest son, Julian. Julian Lennon was born early in The Beatles’ time as a band, and his parents divorced when he was young. From there, his relationship with Lennon grew distant; he admitted to feeling like he hardly knew him. He shared why he felt this made Lennon a hypocrite.

A black and white picture of John Lennon's son Julian Lennon sitting with Lennon. They both look at someone behind them.
Julian Lennon and John Lennon | David Cairns/Getty Images

John Lennon’s son Julian said his father’s behavior was hypocritical

After The Beatles broke up, Lennon began speaking often about the importance of peace and love. He hosted bed-ins for peace with Yoko Ono, integrated the messaging into his music, and spoke out against the Vietnam War. Julian believed this behavior made his father a hypocrite. 

A black and white picture of Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon, and John Lennon. They all wear coats, and Julian sits on Lennon's lap.
Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon, and John Lennon | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty

“I have to say that, from my point of view, I felt he was a hypocrite,” Julian told The Telegraph in 1998. “Dad could talk about peace and love out loud to the world but he could never show it to the people who supposedly meant the most to him: his wife and son. How can you talk about peace and love and have a family in bits and pieces — no communication, adultery, divorce? You can’t do it, not if you’re being true and honest with yourself.”

Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia, divorced in 1968 after he began a relationship with Ono. From there, he became a distant figure in his ex-wife and son’s lives.

John Lennon’s son was right to criticize his father’s treatment of him

Julian was right to criticize his father. While they reestablished some connection in the early 1970s, Julian said Lennon was always like a stranger to him. While he has forgiven him, it doesn’t change the fact that Lennon treated him coldly.

Julian and Cynthia were also not the only people Lennon treated poorly in his personal life. His son Sean recalled Lennon screaming at him so aggressively that it gave him hearing damage. Lennon’s girlfriend, May Pang, said he was prone to violent rages during which he would destroy anything in sight. Lennon himself admitted to abusive behavior in relationships. 

With all that in mind, his public support of peace and love rings hollow. While he claimed he valued these things above all else, he struggled to practice either in his personal life.

Did Julian Lennon inherit anything from his father?

In Lennon and Cynthia’s divorce settlement, Julian was initially set to receive £2,400 a year in maintenance and £50,000 from a trust fund when he turned 25. Ultimately, though, Julian was cut out of Lennon’s will.

Julian fought for his inheritance, and after 16 years, Ono settled with him out of court, reportedly for $25 million.

Julian Lennon wears black and stands outside in the evening.
Julian Lennon | Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for Torch
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“I don’t think it was necessarily fair, but I’m OK,” Julian said. “The last thing I wanted was a court battle because there’s much more money on the estate side than my side.”

According to Julian, he didn’t care as much about the money as he did the principle of the case. It bothered him more that he didn’t receive any of his father’s belongings; in order to get a hold of any of Lennon’s possessions, he had to pay hefty sums at auctions. 

How to get help: In the U.S., call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.

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