Tony Hadley, the former lead singer of Spandau Ballet, recently opened up about the unlikely prospect of a band reunion and his past interactions with the British royal family. The musician is currently gearing up for a Christmas tour while reflecting on his personal life in Buckinghamshire.
The 'bridges' Tony Hadley must build to reunite with Gary Kemp
Tony Hadley believes a reunion with Spandau Ballet is far from certain, stating that "a lot of bridges" would need to be rebuilt before he could share a stage with Gary Kemp. According to the report, the tension stems from a 1999 legal battle where Hadley and two other band members sued Gary Kemp for a share of songwriting royalties and lost.
This friction reflects a broader pattern of 1980s New Romantic bands where early "utopian" ideals often crashed into the realities of financial disputes and ego clashes. While Tony Hadley and Gary Kemp reconciled in 2009, the singer admits that the damage may be permanent, noting that "a lot of things" have been said and done during their tumultuous history.
From Kensington Palace conversations with Diana to gesticulating before Princess Anne
Tony Hadley recalls a particularly intimate encounter with Princess Diana at Kensington Palace, where the two became so engrossed in a conversation about music and life that an aide had to remind the Princess of her other guests. the singer describes the exchange as an "endless conversation" about the parallels between the pressures of being in a band and the constraints of being a royal.
A more recent royal interaction occurred during Tony Hadley's 2022 MBE investiture, where he struggled to follow strict behavioral protocols in front of Princess Anne.. As reported , Tony Hadley’s tendency to gesticulate—which he attributes to potential Italian ancestry—led to a moment of humor where Princess Anne appeared to find his animated nature amusing.
Grandson Freddie and the chaos of a five-child family legacy
In his personal life, Tony Hadley is currently enjoying the arrival of his grandson, Freddie, who was born in May 2025. The singer describes the toddler as a "full on-lunatic" who is already walking and causing mischief, providing a new kind of energy to the family dynamic and offering his daughter, Toni, a much-needed break.
The singer’s family history is complex, involving five children across two marriages. Tony Hadley shared three children with his first wife,Leonie, ending a 20-year marriage in 2003, and later had two children with his current wife, Alison, whom he married in 2009.
A Buckinghamshire Christmas after a season of touring
Based in Buckinghamshire, Tony Hadley is preparing for a Christmas tour starting this month, though he is eager to return home for traditional festivities. He expressed a desire to attend his local village carol concert and the pantomime, marking a return to these traditions after a few years away.
While the singer looks fowarrd to a domestic holiday, his upcoming year remains busy with planned trips to Chile and America. However, certain details remain vague in the report; for instance, it is not specified which cities the Christmas tour will visit, nor does the source clarify the specific "things said and done" that continue to hinder a Spandau Ballet reunion.
Comments 0