Sting's Star Power vs. Cash Chaos: The Legal Battle That Could Dent His Fortune
STING VS THE POLICE: ROCK LEGENDS' BLOOD ON THE CASH
It's been over a decade since Sting, the 73-year-old rock icon, warned his six kids that they might not be inheriting a vast fortune from their father. In a candid interview back in 2014, he revealed, "I told them there won't be much money left because we're spending it." He was referring to the lavish lifestyle he shares with his second wife, Trudie Styler. "We have a lot of commitments. What comes in, we spend – and there isn't a lot left."
Fast-forward to 2025, and things just got a whole lot more complicated for Sting's bank account. His former bandmates from The Police are suing him for millions of pounds over unpaid royalties! Yes, you read that right. Guitarist Andy Summers (82) and drummer Stewart Copeland (73) have lodged a High Court claim for "substantial" damages following years of bitter rows.
The source close to the case spilled the beans to one of our reporters: "This has been coming for quite some time. Lawyers tried repeatedly to reach an out-of-court settlement, but hit a stalemate. Andy and Stewart decided there was no alternative than court, so they pressed the button." They're claiming millions in lost royalties, which would be a major blow to Sting's estimated $550 million (£405 million) personal fortune.
This isn't just any ordinary dispute between bandmates; it's a battle of egos, creativity, and financial disputes that have been simmering for decades. Formed in London in 1977, The Police became an iconic rock sensation with their unique blend of reggae-infused music, selling over 75 million records worldwide. Who wouldn't want to be part of such a massive success story?
However, behind the scenes, it was never all buddy-buddy and sunshine. Sting (born Gordon Sumner), a Tyneside milkman's son, came from humble beginnings before qualifying as a teacher and later becoming a bass guitarist in jazz bands around Newcastle. He met his bandmates while working as session musicians in the mid-1970s.
Copeland, on the other hand, was born into a well-to-do family in Virginia but spent much of his early childhood in the Middle East due to his father's intelligence work for the CIA. The young Stewart attended a posh public school in Somerset, later becoming a respected musician in his own right.
Andy Summers, almost a decade older than his bandmates, had already made a name for himself on the music scene since the 1960s. In an interview three years ago, he confessed to being part of "a band with two total a*holes." Sting even admitted trying to run The Police as a "benign dictatorship," stating that they were "three highly autonomous individuals" who didn't always see eye-to-eye.
The tensions between them boiled over on tour, with Copeland once admitting to cracking one of Sting's ribs during a mock-fight in America. Summers set up his cymbals onstage so he couldn't see the singer and reportedly had the handwritten slogan "Sting. Is. A. C*" on his drums! It was clear that this wasn't exactly a harmonious working relationship.
When The Police disbanded after their 1983 hit single, 'Every Breath You Take,' became one of the decade's best-selling singles, it seemed like a long-forgotten chapter in rock history. However, with a $360 million (£265 million) revenue from 3.7 million ticket sales during their reunion tour in 2007-2008, they managed to put aside their differences – at least temporarily.
The band members' fixation on cash was so intense that journalist and author Allan Jones recalled: "It was like being on the road with a branch of NatWest, all they spoke about was money and how much money they were going to make out of this tour." Even Summers admitted that the reunion tour was "a giant pay-off for all of us and quite incredible: the most money I've ever made."
But now, it appears that Sting might have to dig deep into his pockets to settle the unpaid royalties claim. Although he's credited as the sole songwriter on 'Every Breath You Take,' which earns him more than £500,000 a year in royalties, his spokesman denied any connection between this and the High Court case.
Meanwhile, Copeland quipped in an interview last year: "I do now [know the lyrics of The Police songs I played on]. I never listened to them in the day because I was just banging s* in the background" on drums. Sting's indulgent lifestyle, which includes a Grade I-listed manor house in rural Wiltshire and a 16th-century villa in Tuscany, might soon become a thing of the past if he loses this costly court battle.
It seems that when it comes to rock legends, even the biggest stars can't avoid a little drama, ego clashes, and financial disputes. As the High Court case unfolds, one thing is certain: only time will tell how much Sting's bank account – and his children's inheritance – will be affected by this bitter row with his former bandmates.
TheScholarlyNote.com