Noel Gallagher's expensive love life, divorces and Meg Mathews PTSD

24 January 2024 , 11:49

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Noel Gallagher and his first wife Meg Mathews, who claimed their divorce left her with PTSD (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

Noel Gallagher has made millions throughout his career, but a hefty chunk of that has gone on his two divorces.

The former Oasis co-lead singer, who is well-known for his outspoken nature, recently broke his silence on the end of his 11-year marriage to Sara Macdonald, which was first confirmed in January 2023. One year on, Noel, 56, opened up about their divorce settlement.

During an appearance on Matt Morgan's Patreon Podcast, Noel spoke about his new life as a divorced man, declaring: "I can get on the bike and go up to King's Cross, and go down to the canal. And get on the canal outside my wonderful ex-wife's house and give her a little wave, and go, 'You didn't take this from me!'"

Here, we take a look at the highs and lows of Noel's very expensive love life...

Early engagement

Noel's ex Diane claims 'Live Forever' was inspired by their relationship (Redferns)

Manchester-born Noel was reportedly previously engaged to a dental nurse named Diane McGrory, who he met at a pub when he was 20 and she was 18. Speaking with The People back in 1996, Diane blasted the rock star as 'the most boring person in the world', claiming the only time they ever went out during their 14-month relationship was on a day out to Blackpool.

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Diane went on to claim that Noel wrote the 1994 song Live Forever about her, and that she shrieked 'that's my song!' with excitement when she first heard it on the radio. She recalled: "I can remember so clearly the piece of paper he wrote the song on at the top of the page he had written in huge capitals Live Forever. It was about me and Noel, we were always in our own little world and that song is about us."

After an argument about her going away on a friends' holiday to Greece, Diane broke off their engagement, reportedly leaving Noel heartbroken. He allegedly told her: "These songs are going to make me famous one day, you're gonna regret this."

Slide Away muse

It's believed the 1994 track Slide Away was partially inspired by Noel's former girlfriend, Louise Jones, who he moved in with during his early twenties after leaving his family home. The romantic song, which is about a 'two of a kind' pair, includes wistful lyrics such as, 'I dream of you and all the things you say. I wonder where you are now?'

First wife's PTSD

Noel and Meg tied the knot in Las Vegas (PA Archive/PA Images)

Meg suffered from PTSD following their high profile split (PA Archive/PA Images)

In 1997, Noel tied the knot for the first time in Las Vegas with his then-love Meg Mathews, the reported inspiration behind the most famous Oasis track of all - Wonderwall. During a 1996 interview with NME, Noel shared: "It's about my girlfriend, Meg Matthews. She had a company which folded and she was feeling a bit sorry for herself. The sentiment is that there was no point in her feeling down, she has to sort my life out for me because I'm in bits had the time."

Following their high-profile split in 2001 however, just eight months after the birth of their daughter Anais, Noel insisted that Wonderwall had nothing whatsoever to do with Meg, who received a reported £4 million in their settlement. Noel told the BBC: "The meaning of that song was taken away from me by the media who jumped on it, and how do you tell your missus it's not about her once she's read it is? It's a song about an imaginary friend who's gonna come and save you from yourself."

During a 2020 interview with the Irish Mirror, Meg opened up about how the divorce, and the attention it garnered affected her, leaving her with PTSD. She explained: "I came through the marriage. Everything was public. At the end of the day I did not have the cog or the PR world that that person (Noel) had. I was just the ex-wife. I had nobody. I didn't know what to do. I didn't have a press agent, wasn't famous, I just had a daughter.

"I used to get terrible PTSD. In 1997 I was the third most written about woman. It was Lady Diana, The Spice Girls and me."

Post-lockdown relationship collapse

Noel and Sara first locked eyes at a club in Ibiza (Getty Images Europe)

The couple reached a 'crossroads' in their mid-50s (Getty Images Europe)

Noel met second wife Sara Macdonald at Ibiza club Space in 2000. During an interview with Vogue, Sarah revealed that Noel had approached her first to ask whether she would hold his cigarettes and beer while he went to the bathroom, and that he sent her a book of Japanese poems when she returned home to London.

The musician was completely smitten with his future bride from their very first meeting. Speaking with Radio 4 presenter Kirsty Young in 2015, Noel admitted: "You know, I never believed in love at first sight or that soulmate thing until I met her."

The pair tied the knot during a private ceremony in the New Forest in 2011, choosing Be My Baby by The Ronettes for their first dance. They welcomed two sons together, Donovan, 16, and Sonny, 14, and their split after 22 years together came as a shock to some fans.

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Offering some insight into their relatable relationship breakdown earlier this year, Noel told The Big Issue: "I know a lot of people in the same boat as me and Sara. Particularly after the pandemic. It's not uncommon for people who have been in long-term relationships to go their separate ways in their 50s."

He continued: "When you get to your mid-50s, you do come to some kind of crossroads in your life. The midlife crisis thing is true for men and women."

Julia Banim