On this day in 1989, Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman made headlines around the world—not for a hit song or a sold-out tour, but for marrying his longtime girlfriend, Mandy Smith, in a highly publicized wedding in London. At the time, Wyman was 52 and Smith was 18, although their controversial relationship had begun years earlier when she was just 13. The marriage, met with a mix of fascination and outrage, quickly became one of the most talked-about events in the history of rock celebrity culture.
The wedding, held on June 5, 1989, drew media attention not only because of the significant age difference but also due to the Rolling Stones’ enduring fame and Wyman’s often flamboyant lifestyle. Mandy Smith, a model and aspiring singer, had become a tabloid fixture by then, with the press chronicling the ups and downs of her relationship with Wyman. Despite the initial glamour, the marriage lasted only two years. The couple separated in 1991, citing strain from media scrutiny and personal differences.
But the story didn’t end there. In an extraordinary twist that seemed pulled from the pages of a soap opera, Wyman’s son Stephen, then in his early 30s, married Mandy Smith’s mother, Patsy, in 1993. The bizarre union created a mind-bending family tree that stunned even the most dedicated celebrity gossip watchers.
Through this marriage, Bill Wyman became his own son’s ex-son-in-law, the father-in-law of his ex-mother-in-law, and, perhaps most astonishingly, the step-grandfather of his ex-wife. The familial entanglement remains one of the most bizarre and iconic examples of rock-star eccentricity and personal drama bleeding into the public sphere.
Neither marriage stood the test of time—Stephen and Patsy’s relationship was also short-lived—but the episode remains a fascinating and strange chapter in the annals of music history. While Wyman retired from The Rolling Stones in 1993, his time with the band and his complicated personal life have continued to draw public interest.
Over the years, both Wyman and Smith have reflected on the media frenzy that surrounded their relationship, with Smith often speaking about the pressures she faced at such a young age. Wyman has rarely commented in depth, preferring to focus on his music, photography, and writing.
Yet, even decades later, this unusual family saga remains one of the most unforgettable stories in rock ‘n’ roll history—proof that sometimes, real life can be even stranger than fiction.
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