The Unmarried Life: Who Were George Michael's Long-Term Partners And The Truth About His Marital Status

Despite his global fame and a public life that spanned decades, the answer to "Who was George Michael married to?" is a definitive one: no one. As of late 2025, years after his untimely death, the pop icon's marital status remains unmarried, a fact often overshadowed by the intense curiosity surrounding his private affairs and long-term relationships. While he never officially tied the knot, George Michael—born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou—had several deeply significant, committed partnerships that shaped his life, his music, and his public identity after he came out as gay.

The confusion often stems from the length and seriousness of his relationships, particularly with Dallas art dealer Kenny Goss, a partnership that lasted for 13 years and saw the singer announce plans for marriage at one point. This article dives into the three men who were the most important figures in the "Careless Whisper" singer's romantic life, detailing their stories, the timeframe of their relationships, and the lasting impact they had on the pop legend.

George Michael: A Biographical Snapshot

To understand his personal life, it is essential to first know the man behind the music. George Michael's journey was one of incredible professional success mixed with deeply personal struggles, all of which informed his relationships.

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• Full Name: Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou
• Born: 25 June 1963, East Finchley, London, England
• Died: 25 December 2016 (Aged 53), Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England
• Cause of Death: Fatty liver and dilated cardiomyopathy with myocarditis
• Marital Status: Never Married
• Key Collaborations: Wham! (with Andrew Ridgeley)
• Solo Career Highlights: The albums Faith (1987) and Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 (1990)
• Coming Out: Publicly came out as gay in 1998, following an arrest in Los Angeles.

Anselmo Feleppa: The First Love and The Great Tragedy

The first truly serious and transformative relationship in George Michael's life was with Anselmo Feleppa, a Brazilian dress designer. This relationship was a watershed moment for the singer, as it was his first same-sex relationship, and it inspired some of his most profound and heartfelt music.

The Discovery of a Hidden Life

George Michael met Feleppa in 1991 during a performance at the Rock in Rio concert in Brazil. The connection was immediate and intense. At the time, Michael was still largely closeted to the public, a secret he kept to protect his family and his pop idol image. Feleppa’s presence in his life was the catalyst for Michael's personal awakening.

Tragically, the relationship was short-lived. Just six months after they met, Feleppa was diagnosed with an AIDS-related illness. He passed away in March 1993. The grief and heartbreak Michael experienced were immense and deeply private. He later dedicated the song "Jesus to a Child" to Feleppa's memory, a track from his 1996 album Older, which serves as a poignant tribute to his first great love.

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Kenny Goss: The 13-Year Open Relationship

Following the tragedy of losing Anselmo, George Michael found a long-term anchor in American businessman and Dallas art dealer, Kenny Goss. Their relationship became his longest and most public, lasting from 1996 to 2009.

A Public Partnership and Plans for Marriage

The relationship with Goss began shortly before Michael’s public coming out in 1998. The couple became one of the most famous in showbiz, often appearing together at events. They split their time between homes in London and Dallas, Texas, and even established the Goss-Michael Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to art education.

In 2006, George Michael announced plans to marry Kenny Goss, though the ceremony never took place. Their partnership was famously an "open relationship," a dynamic that Goss has discussed publicly since Michael's death. Despite their deep connection, they separated in 2009, although Michael did not publicly confirm the breakup until 2011, citing the complexities of their lives and Michael's personal struggles.

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Recent Estate Settlement Updates

A significant, more recent development related to their partnership occurred after Michael’s death on Christmas Day 2016. In a claim brought under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975, Kenny Goss sought a share of the singer's multi-million-pound estate. In 2021, trustees of the estate agreed to a settlement, acknowledging the depth and length of their commitment and healing the pain of the long-term ex-partner. This development underscores the seriousness of their relationship, even in the absence of a marriage certificate.

Fadi Fawaz: The Final Partner

George Michael's final relationship was with Fadi Fawaz, a Lebanese-Australian hairdresser and photographer. Their relationship began around 2012, following his split from Kenny Goss.

The Heartbreak of Christmas Day 2016

Fadi Fawaz was Michael's partner at the time of his death. It was Fawaz who found the pop icon dead in his home in Oxfordshire on Christmas morning 2016. He described the immense heartbreak of finding Michael "lying peacefully in bed," a devastating and private moment thrust into the public eye.

The relationship remained private for much of its duration, a stark contrast to the very public life Michael shared with Kenny Goss. While Fawaz was a figure of controversy in the years following Michael's passing, due to various legal and personal disputes, the fact remains that he was the last person to share the singer's life.

The Legacy of George Michael's Love Life

George Michael’s love life, though never formalized by marriage, was rich with commitment, passion, and profound loss. The answer to "who was George Michael married to" is a simple "no one," but the stories of Anselmo Feleppa, Kenny Goss, and Fadi Fawaz reveal a man who sought and cherished deep connection.

His openness about his sexuality and his relationships, particularly after his public coming out, broke down barriers for other celebrities and the LGBTQ+ community. The emotional depth of his music, from the early days of Wham! to his solo career, was undeniably fueled by the joy and pain of these significant partnerships. His legacy is not just in his iconic songs, but in the honest and often difficult journey he took to live an authentic life in the spotlight, a journey shared by the men he loved.