Inside Fairytale of New York singer Kirsty MacColl's tragic death, fortune and who gets royalties

Kirsty MacColl continues to dominate the music industry around Christmas, with her smash hit Fairytale of New York alongside the late Shane MacGowan – but who receives her royalties?

Kirsty MacColl tragically died while trying to save her son's life.

The Fairytale of New York songstress was just 41 when she had been holidaying with her two sons, Louis and Jamie, and her musician boyfriend James Knight, in Cozumel, Mexico, shortly before Christmas 2000, 13 years after the release of the poignant track, with Shane MacGowan.

On December 19, keen diver Kirsty and her family headed out for a dive at the Chankanaab reef, at a designated diving area watercrafts were prohibited from entering, accompanied by veteran divemaster, Iván Díaz. While surfacing from a dive, Kirsty spotted a powerboat entering the restricted area at speed, with the then 15-year-old Jamie right in its path.

Kirsty was able to push Jamie out of the way, and he sustained only minor injuries to his ribs and head. Sadly, the boat struck and ran over heroic Kirsty, leaving her with severe chest injuries that killed her instantly. The power boat was owned by wealthy businessman Guillermo Gonzalez Nova, who was on board at the time of the horror accident. A crew member by the name of Jose Cen Yam ended up taking the blame.

But just three years before her death,on March 27, 1997, Kirsty wrote her will and decided to distribute her fortune of £1,678,316 between those closest to her. In documents obtained by the Mirror, initially, Kirsty had planned to send £20,000 to an individual named Lazaro Laza Antunez who resided in Cuba. She also declared that her brother, Hamish MacColl would receive £50,000 of her fortune.

Kirsty went on to state that in the event that any child, or children of hers shall survive her, £1,000 would be given to people known as Anne, Kieran, Juliett Guiot and Frances Tiplady. She added that should no child of hers survive her, the legacy of the persons named would see their sum increase to £10,000.

The Croydon-born musician added that her trustees should receive what is left from her fortune following her debts, funeral and testamentary expenses and any legacies given by the will. These included her children, Jamie Patrick MacColl, Lillywhite and Louis Stephen MacColl, any further children of hers, her remote issue, her mother, Jean, her brother Hamish and any charitable situations which her Trustees deemed suitable, at their discretion.

However, in August 2000, just months before her death, Kirsty updated her will. She stated that she no longer wished to send money to Cuba. She intended to leave her property in Stroud to her brother and her estate to be distributed equally between her children and James Knight, after provision had been made to her mum and brother. This included royalties from any of her work.

Kirsty still intended to leave £1,000 to Annie, Fuz and Kieran, as well as Guiot in France. All of her studio equipment was also left to James Knight. Speaking with the Irish Sunday Mirror in 2014, Kirsty's mother Jean MacColl spoke of her fury at how the incident was handled by the Mexican justice system, with the boat hand fined just £67. Jean said: "It was £67, a trivial amount. I had to tell her sons on Mother's Day that that's all their mother's life was valued at. I was angry, I'm still angry. All I wanted was the truth. I didn't want his money, it's dirty. I just wanted him to tell me the truth but he didn't have the nerve or the courage. I even wrote him a letter saying I just wanted the truth but he never replied. I despise him completely. I don't know how he can live with himself."

News of Kirsty's death left many in the music world shocked and saddened, including her collaborator Shane MacGowan, who recently passed away at the age of 65. Reflecting on Kirsty's enduring legacy, Shane previously remarked: "I'm very grateful to Christ and his Holy Mother and Joseph and all the saints, including my family who have passed on, for the success of Fairytale. And I was very grateful to Kirsty MacColl – I don't think it would have been such a big hit without her contribution."

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