Sean Ono Lennon is setting the record straight about the inheritance he and his older half-brother, Julian Lennon, received from their father, Beatles legend John Lennon.

On October 11, Sean, 51, responded on X to a post claiming that one brother inherited most of their father’s estate while the other was largely excluded and spent decades pursuing a smaller share through legal action.

Sean disputed that characterization, writing that he and Julian received essentially equal inheritances.

“Julian and I inherited the same amount from our dad. Our trusts were equal. Although his was slightly more, but negligibly so,” he wrote.

Sean is John Lennon’s son with artist Yoko Ono, while Julian, 63, is the musician’s son from his first marriage to Cynthia Lennon.

A Long-Running Dispute Over John Lennon’s Estate

The debate over Julian’s inheritance has roots in the years following John Lennon’s murder in December 1980. Yoko Ono was left in control of the singer’s estate, and disagreements over Julian’s financial interests eventually led to a prolonged legal dispute.

According to reports, the conflict lasted approximately 16 years. The circumstances surrounding John’s divorce from Cynthia, along with questions about how his estate was managed, contributed to the controversy.

Sean’s recent comments offer his perspective on the specific claim that the brothers received vastly different inheritances. He emphasized that their trusts were equal, while acknowledging a small difference in the amounts.

His response does not erase the history of the legal dispute, but it challenges the online suggestion that Julian was largely cut out of his father’s estate.

Julian Lennon’s Life and Career Beyond the Beatles Legacy

Despite the complicated family history, Julian has established his own career as a musician. He has released seven studio albums, including Jude in 2022, whose title references “Hey Jude,” the Beatles song Paul McCartney wrote in 1968 to comfort Julian during his parents’ divorce.

Julian has also spoken publicly about the personal reflection involved in making music. In an earlier interview with PEOPLE, he described working on an album as a process of looking inward and reconnecting with himself.

He also recalled a period when his relationship with his father was improving. In a 2020 BBC Radio interview with Sean, Julian remembered speaking more frequently with John during his mid-to-late teenage years.

One particularly vivid memory involved John playing him an early mix of “Starting Over” over the telephone. The song was released shortly before John’s death in 1980.

Sean’s statement has renewed attention on a sensitive chapter in the Lennon family’s history, highlighting the difference between the public narrative surrounding Julian’s inheritance and Sean’s account of the trusts their father left behind.

Source: Compiled from various sources