John Lennon's Controversial Action Before His Passing Left His Sons Divided

From the moment he declared that the Beatles were "bigger than Jesus," John Lennon established himself as a figure unafraid of controversy. From scandalous romances to bizarre protest stunts, the legendary musician made himself a fixture of front-page news, though his fame often came at the cost of those closest to him. Now, years later, Julian and Sean Lennon have come forward to reveal the truth about their relationship with their father — and how one final, controversial action nearly tore their family apart.

Two Kids, Two Childhoods

Born 12 years apart from one another, Julian and Sean each experienced drastically different versions of their famous father's parenting skills. Yet the two boys did share something in common — neither of them really got the chance to know him.

Unimaginable Tragedy

When Sean was five and Julian was 17, John was assassinated outside of the Dakota Apartments in Manhattan just two months after his 40th birthday. Both boys were devastated over their father's death, though the sudden loss held a different kind of significance for the singer's eldest son.

Chance Meetings

At the time, Julian and John were working on strengthening their strained relationship, which all began during John's rocky marriage to Cynthia Powell. The two first met in art school, though it wasn't long before John had another fortuitous meeting — this one with Paul McCartney and George Harrison.

Secret Relationship

While John and Cynthia got married in 1962, The Beatles’ management decided to keep their union a secret. Just a few weeks later, most of the world was afflicted with Beatlemania when the quartet released the song "Love Me Do."