Former bassist for The Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman, caused quite a stir when he tied the knot with a much younger woman.
On June 2, 1989, Bill married Mandy Smith, after dating for approximately five years.
What set this rock marriage apart was the significant age difference – Bill was 52 years old, while Mandy was a mere 19.
What’s even more startling is that their relationship began when she was just 13!
Bill Wyman and Mandy Smith’s relationship commenced in 1984, when Mandy was only 13 and Bill was 47.
It’s worth noting that they dated with the consent of Mandy’s parents.
In 1986, Bill confessed his deep love for Mandy, stating, “For the first time in years, I’m trying to cut down on the number of women I’m sleeping with.”
On Easter Sunday in 1989, Bill proposed to Mandy, and although a formal wedding was scheduled for June 5, they made it official with a simple civil ceremony at a registry office in Suffolk, England.
The grand wedding ceremony took place on June 5, 1989, at St. John’s church in London.
Over 500 guests attended, including all of Bill’s bandmates from The Rolling Stones.
Bill continued to be part of the iconic band until 1993.
During the wedding celebration, Eric Clapton humorously gifted Bill silk pajamas, quipping, “At Bill’s age, you shouldn’t be hopping into bed unclothed.”
Charlie Watts, the drummer for The Rolling Stones, reportedly said, “I’ve never said this would be a good match.”
Unfortunately, Bill Wyman and Mandy Smith’s marriage lasted only nine months.
However, their story doesn’t end there…
After their separation, Bill Wyman’s 31-year-old son, Stephen, took an unexpected turn by marrying Mandy Smith’s 46-year-old mother, Patsy.
Additionally, in 1993, Bill himself got married once again, this time to Suzanne Accosta, a woman in her thirties.
Now, let’s take a moment to imagine an alternate scenario.
What if Bill and Mandy had remained married, and Stephen, Bill’s son, had married Mandy’s mother?
Prepare to wrap your head around this peculiar situation: Stephen would have become both Mandy’s stepson and stepfather, while Bill would have been his own son’s son-in-law on top of being his father!
And that, my friends, is the extraordinary tale behind Bill Wyman, the bassist of The Rolling Stones, marrying someone much younger than himself.
(We extend our gratitude to the website Songfacts.com for providing some of the information used in this article.)
