Report: George Michael’s friends and a new book describe decades of secret philanthropy totaling millions

George Michael, the British singer known for hits including “Careless Whisper” and “Faith,” died in 2016. A Fox News report published June 25, 2026 says he left an estate valued at about $128 million and that friends say he also pursued a long-running pattern of private giving that was largely unknown to the public.

According to the report, a new book documents claims that Michael donated “millions” to multiple charitable efforts for years, with at least some of the giving conducted quietly or behind the scenes. The report attributes the account to friends of Michael and to an author behind the book, describing a broader network of causes rather than a single donation campaign.

The report says Michael’s secret contributions included support for initiatives connected to children and for groups assisting nurses, both described in connection with direct aid and relief work. It also describes giving tied to refugees, and donations connected to AIDS-related causes, reflecting the role that Michael’s public support for HIV and AIDS issues became known for during and after the peak of the epidemic.

The Fox report frames the giving as part of Michael’s personal approach, contrasting the public profile of a major pop star with what the friends and author describe as a preference for private charity. It does not specify the exact total amounts per charity, the specific organizations’ names, or the years in which each donation took place, focusing instead on the categories of support and the claim that the donations were substantial and sustained.

In addition to the discussion of philanthropy, the report’s valuation figure of $128 million is presented as part of the overall picture of Michael’s financial legacy. The report does not provide the underlying accounting documents or legal filings that support the valuation, and it does not state whether the amount reflects estate appraisals, widely reported estimates, or another valuation basis.

For now, the details of Michael’s alleged “secret” giving appear to rest on the friends’ accounts and the author’s presentation in the new book, as summarized by Fox News. Without independent organization-by-organization confirmation in the report, readers are left to treat the specific donation history as claim-based until further corroboration emerges through receipts, named beneficiaries, or statements from the charities themselves.

If additional reporting or primary confirmations are published, the charitable categories described in the Fox report could help clarify which institutions were involved, what impact the donations had, and how the giving fits into the broader public understanding of Michael’s support for health and humanitarian causes.