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George Harrison’s Net Worth & Biography: His Cars, House, Career, and More

how did george harrison die images of george harrison in a magazine
Image from Shutterstock.

He was known as “the quiet Beatle,” often sporting long locks and a mustache. While he was often in the shadow of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, he eventually carved his own path both musically and as a personality, solidifying himself as a household name both as part of the group and as a solo artist. As a result, his wealth and riches were at an all-time high at the time of his premature death. To this day, his estate remains one of the biggest in music.

What was George Harrison’s net worth? Find out more about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee below.

Who was George Harrison?

George Harrison was an English singer, songwriter, and musician who helped majorly broaden popular music’s scope in the 1960s. This was done in large part by his embracement of Indian culture and the way he sought to incorporate Indian instrumentation as well as Hindu-aligned spirituality into his musical works, including with the Beatles.

Related: 15 Interesting Facts About The Beatles Members

Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and John Lennon with guitars.
Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon during a Beatles performance for Dutch television. Image from the Dutch Institute of Sound and Vision and sourced from Wikimedia Commons.

When was George Harrison Born?

George Harrison’s birthdate was February 25, 1943.

George Harrison’s Zodiac sign was Pisces. Makes sense that he was such a gentle, creative soul.

George Harrison’s Ethnicity

Thanks to his mother, George Harrison was British and of Irish Catholic descent.

Where was George Harrison From?

George Harrison was born and raised in Liverpool, England.

Where Did George Harrison Live?

George Harrison was living in Los Angeles, California, at the time of his death. He also had an estate in England.

How Tall was George Harrison?

George Harrison’s height was approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall.

How Much Did George Harrison Weigh?

George Harrison’s weight was estimated to be around 154 pounds.

how did george harrison die images of george harrison in a magazine
Image from Shutterstock.

How Did George Harrison Become Famous?

Even though he continued on to have a successful solo career and was a member of the Traveling Wilburys, George Harrison will always be known for his role as the lead guitarist of the Beatles, one of the most influential bands of the 1960s.

George Harrison’s Parents

George Harrison was the youngest of four children born to Harold Hargreaves Harrison, a bus conductor, and Louise French, a shop assistant.

While both of his parents supported his musical interests, Harrison’s mother was particularly supportive, according to Harrison’s first wife, Pattie Boyd. “All she wanted for her children is that they should be happy, and she recognized that nothing made George quite as happy as making music.”

While Louise was pregnant with George, “Every Sunday she tuned in to mystical sounds evoked by sitars and tablas, hoping that the exotic music would bring peace and calm to the baby in the womb.”  

Related10 Best Beatles Songs, 1963-1965

George Harrison’s Siblings

George Harrison has three siblings. George Harrison’s sister, Louise, was the oldest of the Harrison children, born on August 16, 1931. She died on January 29, 2023.

George Harrison’s brothers were in the middle, Harold being born in 1934 and Peter being born on July 20, 1940. The latter died on June 1, 2007. Harold Harrison remains the only surviving sibling of the clan.

Who was George Harrison Married To?

George Harrison was married twice in his life. His first wife was model Pattie Boyd, whom he married on January 21, 1966. Their marriage came two years after meeting on the set of the film A Hard Day’s Night.

Sadly, they separated eight years later in 1974 and officially divorced in 1977. Reports have said that Boyd decided to end the marriage due to infidelity on the part of Harrison. Additionally, she said, “George used coke excessively, and I think it changed him. … It froze his emotions and hardened his heart.”

A year after Harrison’s divorce from Boyd was finalized, he married A&M Marketing Executive Olivia Trinidad Arias on September 2, 1978. They remained together until Harrison died in 2001.

George Harrison’s Children

George Harrison’s son, Dhani Harrison, from his second marriage to Olivia Trinidad Arias, was born on August 1, 1978.

What happened to George Harrison’s son? Considered the “double” of his famous father, Dhani Harrison has seemed to follow in his father’s footsteps, working as a musician. He made his musical debut on George Harrison’s album Brainwashed, released posthumously on November 18, 2002.

George Harrison’s Net Worth

In this case, the more accurate question is how much is the George Harrison estate worth?

At the time of George Harrison’s death in 2001, his estate was estimated to be worth more than 400 million dollars.

a stamp showing the four beatles members when they were young
Image from Shutterstock

Who Inherited George Harrison’s Money?

While they didn’t inherit it all, George Harrison’s net worth was inherited by his second wife and George Harrison’s son, Dhani Harrison. They inherited around one hundred million pounds, estimated to be $127 million in U.S. dollars.

While it’s unclear where the rest of the $273 million went, we do know that his wife Olivia was named executor of his estate and remains the executor to this day.

How Did George Harrison Get Rich?

George Harrison’s wealth and riches are largely due to his years with the Beatles. Although considered “the quiet Beatle,” he knew how to play hard, and that was evidenced by the immense revenue he continued to receive throughout his career, even after the Beatles officially split.

Related: How Did John Lennon Die?

George Harrison’s Cars

He may be gone, but George Harrison had quite an impressive car collection back in the day. Some of the most recognizable models included a Ford Anglia 105E, a Jaguar E-Type/XKE, a 1964 Aston Martin DB5, a Porsche 928 S Coupe, and a Mercedes 300 SEL.

Harrison also sported a Mercedes 500 SEL AMG, a McLaren F1, and an Austin Mini Cooper S for a time.

George Harrison’s House

George Harrison’s most notable home throughout his life was the Friar Park Estate in Henley-on-Thames. Set on 34 acres, he paid 135 thousand pounds for the property in 1970. The mansion had 120 rooms, a 24-track recording studio, and a large garage to hold his many luxury cars.

Harrison and his wife famously put the home on the market after he and his wife, Olivia, were attacked by Michael Abram. This knife-wielding intruder led to Harrison suffering a punctured lung and other injuries.

Abram, who was considered a paranoid schizophrenic, later said of the incident, “If I could turn back the clock, I would give anything not to have done what I did in attacking George Harrison, but looking back on it now, I have come to understand that I was at the time not in control of my actions. I can only hope the Harrison family might somehow find it in their hearts to accept my apologies.”

the beatles on TV
Photo of The Beatles with Ed Sullivan from their first appearance on Sullivan’s US variety television program in February 1964. From left: Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Ed Sullivan, John Lennon, Paul McCartney. Image by CBS Television on Wikimedia Commons.

Early Life

George Harrison spent much of his early life enveloped by music, drawing influence from such legends as Cab Calloway, Carl Perkins, and Lonnie Donegan. Later, hearing “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley further drove him to a love of music, particularly guitars and rock and roll.

“I was totally into guitars.” He also named Slim Whitman as another early influence on him. “The first person I ever saw playing a guitar was Slim Whitman, either a photo of him in a magazine or live on television. Guitars were definitely coming in.”

Related: How Did Elvis Presley Die?

Career

George Harrison was just 15 years old when he first auditioned to join Paul McCartney and John Lennon in the formation of what would become the Beatles. While he was considered to be “the quiet Beatle” by most, Harrison eventually established himself as not only a talented musician on the guitar but a quality songwriter.

Beginning in 1965 until the Beatles ultimately split in 1970, Harrison contributed at least two compositions per album released, resulting in more than 16 songs for the band. Some of the most well-known of these songs include “Taxman,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” and “Here Comes the Sun.”

While Harrison was already beginning a solo career a couple of years before the Beatles split, he delved further into his continued musical dreams. Composed of mostly instrumental pieces, George Harrison’s albums Wonderwall Music and Electronic Sound were released in 1968 and 1969, respectively.

Then came All Things Must Pass in 1970, his first release post-breakup. Apple Records released a 30-year anniversary edition in 2000. Harrison said of the release, “It’s just something that was like my continuation from the Beatles, really. It was me sort of getting out of the Beatles and just going my own way. … It was a very happy occasion.”

Just after the release of All Things Must Pass, Harrison famously held The Concert for Bangladesh: 1971, a charity event organized by Ravi Shankar, which drew more than 40,000 people to Madison Square Garden in New York. The subsequent album went on to top the UK chart and peak at No. 2. in the United States.

After some monetary disputes after the concert film, Harrison commented, “Mainly, the concert was to attract attention to the situation. … The money we raised was secondary, and although we had some money problems, … they still got plenty … even though it was a drop in the ocean. The main thing was, we spread the word and helped get the war ended.”

Harrison continued to release albums over the next 16 years, including Living in the Material World (1973), Extra Texture (Read All About It) (1975), Somewhere in England (1981), and Cloud Nine (1987). His final album, Brainwashed, the first in nearly 15 years, was posthumously released a year after his death in November 2002.

Harrison wasn’t done with group performances when the Beatles ended, either. In 1988, he co-founded the Traveling Wilburys, a platinum-selling supergroup that included the likes of Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty

Together, they released two studio albums and multiple singles, including “Handle with Care,” “End of the Line,” and “She’s My Baby.” 

Related: 25 Wild Tom Petty Facts

What Was George Harrison’s Cause of Death?

George Harrison’s official cause of death was non-small cell lung cancer that spread to his brain.

Related: How Did George Harrison Die?

How Old Was George Harrison When He Died?

George Harrison was only 58 when he died on November 29, 2001.

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Written by Katie Peterson

Katie Peterson received her bachelor's degree in English from the University of Saint Mary in Leavenworth in 2015. She has worked in journalism since 2015, beginning as production assistant and eventual head staff writer of the Fort Leavenworth Lamp newspaper in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Currently, she is a multimedia journalist with the Diocese of Nashville's Office of Media and Evangelization where she writes, does photography, and edits for several types of content, including the Tennessee Register, Catholic Awakenings, and NashvilleCatholic.org. She has also worked as a freelance journalist with the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas's newspaper, The Leaven, since 2016.
In her spare time, Peterson enjoys reading, spending time with her pup, Sadie Lynn, singing and songwriting.

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