The world is mourning the loss of singer and actress Marianne Faithfull, who has died at the age of 78, her spokesperson has said.
Tributes have poured in for the star whose hits included As Tears Go By, which was written by The Rolling Stones’ Sir Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
Alongside her music career, she also acted in films including The Girl on a Motorcycle, as well as theatre productions.
And from 1966 to 1970, Marianne was in a highly-publicised on-and-off relationship with Sir Mick following his split from model and actress Chrissie Shrimpton.
She was famously found wearing nothing except a rug at an infamous drugs bust at Rolling Stones guitarist Richards’ country house, Redlands, in 1967.
As memories and stories of the late star are circulating, MailOnline looks inside Marianne’s relationship with the rock and roll legend.
As fond memories and stories of the late star are circulating, MailOnline looks inside Marianne Faithfull;s relationship with rock and roll legend Mick Jagger (pictured in 1969)
The world is mourning the loss of singer and actress Marianne Faithfull, who has died at the age of 78, her spokesperson has said (Pictured here in London in February 2002)
Marianne and Mick reportedly began their romance in 1966, after her hit song As Tears Go By, which was co-written by Mick and his bandmate Keith Richards, was released in 1964.
Prior to this, she had been in a relationship with artist John Dunbar, whom she welcomed a son with.
In 1967, Marianne, who was 20 at the time, was turned into the most infamously scarlet women in the land after the infamous raid that made headlines.
There were tales of drugs galore and, famously, of Marianne being discovered naked, save for the fur rug she was wrapped in.
She was there when Sussex officers visited Richard’s home, Redlands, but was not arrested herself. She did appear in court every day to support Mick.
She dated Mick for four years until 1970 and blamed the collapse of their relationship and her subsequent spectacular downfall on the drugs trial.
‘That drugs raid really damaged me,’ she previously told Q magazine. ‘It damaged our relationship, and [four years later] I was living on the street as a drug addict. Do I blame anyone or anything for that? I do blame the Redlands thing, yes.’
After moving in with Mick, in 1968 Marianne found out she was pregnant but tragically experienced a miscarriage at seven months – they had planned to name their daughter Corrina.
Mick and Marianne’s romance played into their musical careers heavily and it reportedly inspired the Rolling Stones’ Sympathy for the Devil.
From 1966 to 1970, Marianne was in a highly-publicised on-and-off relationship with Sir Mick following his split from model and actress Chrissie Shrimpton
She was famously found wearing nothing except a rug at an infamous drugs bust at Rolling Stones guitarist Richards’ country house, Redlands, in 1967
Marianne and Mick reportedly began their romance in 1966, after her hit song As Tears Go By, which was co-written by Mick and his bandmate Keith Richards, was released in 1964
The rock band’s album Beggars Banquet was also inspired by a book gifted to Mick by Marianne called The Master and Margarita.
Often known as The Rolling Stones’ muse, the actress and singer also inspired Wild Horses and I Got the Blues, before co-writing Sister Morphine.
But, the musician’s relationship was not smooth sailing and allegedly involved a lot of affairs behind closed doors.
While Mick reportedly had an affair with Anita Pallenberg, Keith Richards’ partner at the time, Marianne was said to have retaliated by getting involed with Keith.
After her relationship with Mick ended, Marianne went through a difficult time as she was homeless and addicted to drugs.
She spent two years on the streets of Soho while addicted to heroin before living in a squat.
Marienne returned to release an album, Broken English, in 1979, which is now regarded as a classic.
In recent years, Marianne’s voice was used in the 2021 remake of Dune and 2023’s Wild Summon.
In 1967, Marianne, who was 20 at the time, was turned into the most infamously scarlet women in the land after the infamous raid that made headlines
There were tales of drugs galore and, famously, of Marianne being discovered naked, save for the fur rug she was wrapped in
She dated Mick for four years until 1970 and blamed the collapse of their relationship and her subsequent spectacular downfall on the drugs trial
The statement from her spokesperson read: ‘It is with deep sadness that we announce the death of the singer, songwriter and actress Marianne Faithfull.
‘Marianne passed away peacefully in London today, in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed.’
Paying tribute, JK Rowling wrote on X: ‘One of my favourite albums of all time. RIP Marianne.’
Tony Blackburn OBE added: ‘Sorry to hear that 69’s singer Marianne Faithfull has died at the age of 78.
‘She gave us some great songs to play. R.I.P.’
Another fan wrote: I refuse to even believe it, I am so heartbroken…Marianne Faithfull was one of my favorite musicians and an important part of the stones history.
‘Thank you everything Marianne.’
A third added: ‘Marianne Faithfull. Always interesting and delightful.
‘Lucky enough to have been able to spend time with her over the years. 1946-2025. RIP.’
She starred in the 1960s film Girl On A Bicycle as well as enjoying chart success as a singer
Marianne Faithfull, pictured here in 1967, has hits such as Come And Stay With Me
Her other hits in the 1960s included As Tears Go By – co-written by her then-boyfriend Mick Jagger (the couple are pictured together in Sydney in July 1969)
Tony Blackburn posted a tribute to Marianne Faithfull on X this afternoon
Faithfull began her singing career in 1964, after being discovered by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham
Marianne pictured with Mick Jagger at Euston station in 1967. The pair dated for four years and split in 1970
Throughout the sixties and seventies, she battled heroin addiction, had a miscarriage in 1968 with Mick and lost custody of her son Nicholas
Marianne pictured in 1968 on the set of The Girl On A Motorcycle
Faithful during her performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival July 10, 1995
Faithfull began her singing career in 1964, after being discovered by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham.
She re-invented herself in 1987 as a jazz and blues singer, with the critically acclaimed Strange Weather, and in the same decade went into rehab.
Her final album was an experimental collaboration with Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds’ Australian multi-instrumentalist Warren Ellis, called She Walks In Beauty (2021).
Recently she has enjoyed a resurgence and is said to be admired by the likes of Kate Moss and Courtney Love.
In 2006, it was announced that she had made a full recovery from breast cancer.
Doctors in France had diagnosed the disease in September forcing the star to postpone her world tour.
But the cancer was found in its ‘earliest stages’ and following surgery, she announced she would resume her tour the next year.
She was quoted as saying at the time: ‘It has been an extraordinary experience and, in many ways, extremely positive.
‘I didn’t realise how many true friends I had. I feel so lucky and loved and thank everybody for all their good thoughts.’
The breast cancer came two years after Faithfull, a former smoker, was forced to cancel her European tour after collapsing backstage at a gig.
Marianne Faithfull attends the Gus Van Sant : Retrospective at la cinematheque on April 11, 2016 in Paris
Marianne Faithfull pictured after she opened the Innocence and Experience exhibition at Tate Liverpool in 2012
Faithfull poses during a photocall to present her film ‘Irina Palm’ running in the competition at the 57th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin February 13, 2007
Faithful smiles during a news conference to present her film ‘Irina Palm’ running in the competition at the 57th Berlinale International Film Festival
Faithfull poses for a picture with French director Patrice Chereau in 2001
The singer was diagnosed with exhaustion and ordered to rest for three months.
In 2005 filmmaker Duncan Roy announced that Faithfull had stepped down from his screen version of The Picture Of Dorian Gray because she had suffered a heart attack, which she denied.
The daughter of a British military officer and an Austro-Hungarian Jewish baroness, Faithfull recently appeared in Sofia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette.
She made guest star appearances as God in the TV sitcom Absolutely Fabulous.
One of her early films included I’ll Never Forget What’s ‘Is Name, alongside Orson Welles, and Girl On A Motorcycle.
