Spanning an illustrious five-decade career, Sting has undeniably solidified his place as a music legend. From his electrifying tenure with The Police to his immensely successful solo ventures, he has amassed sales of over 100 million albums and singles across the globe. His collection of timeless hits continues to generate substantial royalties, while his expansive world tours consistently yield impressive earnings.
In a noteworthy move in February 2022, Sting capitalized on his extensive body of work by selling his entire songwriting catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group for a substantial $300 million. This deal included music from both his time with The Police and his solo creations. As a result, Sting’s estimated net worth now stands at $550 million, ranking him among the wealthiest musicians worldwide.
Despite this considerable fortune, Sting’s children shouldn’t count on receiving a hefty inheritance. In a 2014 interview with the Mail on Sunday, when his wealth was nearly half of what it is today, Sting made it clear that his six children shouldn’t expect large financial windfalls, as he opposes trust funds.
During the interview, he stated:
“I informed them that there wouldn’t be much money left because we are spending it. We have a lot of commitments. What comes in, we spend, leaving not much behind. I certainly don’t want to leave them trust funds that become burdens. They have to work, and all my kids understand that and seldom ask me for anything, which I deeply respect and appreciate.”
This declaration might have been disappointing for his six children—Joe, 49, and Fuschia, 44, with his former wife Frances Tomelty, and Mickey, 42, Jake, 40, Eliot, 35, and Giacomo, 30, with his current wife, Trudie Styler. Spanning ages 30 to 49, they’ve had to forge their own paths in the world.
A little over a decade has passed since that interview. And Sting’s net worth has doubled. Maybe there’s more left to go around to his kids now?
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Well, according to a recent sit-down with CBS News Sunday Morning’s Mark Phillips, the answer is a resounding no. The 74-year-old rock star has doubled down on his stance, stating that his philosophy hasn’t softened one bit despite his ballooning bank account. In fact, Sting told Phillips that he considers telling children they “don’t have to work” to be “a form of abuse that I hope I’m never guilty of.”
“I’m spending our money. I’m paying for your education. You’ve got shoes on your feet. Go to work,” Sting explained, praising the fierce independence and work ethic of his brood. “That’s not cruel. I think there’s a kindness there and a trust in them that they will make their own way. They’re tough, my kids.“
When asked if they ever show frustration over his tight grip on the family purse strings, the singer quipped, “No, not to my face, they don’t.” He did clarify, however, that he isn’t completely heartless and would absolutely step in and help them financially if they were in genuine trouble. They just aren’t “waiting for a handout.”
While his kids are busy making their own money, Sting is still actively managing his. He recently had to open his checkbook to settle a financial dispute with his former The Police bandmates, paying out $815,000 in January to drummer Stewart Copeland and guitarist Andy Summers over unpaid streaming royalties.
Even with that payout, Sting’s bottom line is doing just fine. He is currently padding his $550 million fortune by promoting the international tour of his stage musical, The Last Ship, which hits New York City’s Metropolitan Opera this June. For now, Sting is perfectly content to keep spending his hard-earned millions himself—and leaving his ki
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