Rick Parfitt's dying wish was almost ruined when the Status Quo star's third wife 'took away his beloved guitar so a replica had to be made for his funeral' 

  • The rocker wanted his white Fender Telecaster to be featured at his funeral
  • But his third wife Lyndsay claimed the 'priceless' instrument belonged to her
  • The Status Quo guitarist died in December from a shoulder injury complication
  • Rick's three ex-wives all paid their respects to him at a funeral service in Surrey 
  • Lyndsay has previously claimed that Rick had left her 'nothing' in his will

By Luke Barnes For Mailonline

Published: 16:11 EST, 4 February 2017 | Updated: 16:44 EST, 4 February 2017

Rick Parfitt's third wife denied her ex-husband his dying wish and took his beloved guitar days before the rockstar's funeral, it is claimed.

The rocker wanted his Fender Telecaster to be front and centre at his funeral.

But Rick's third wife Lyndsay, 56, thought the guitar belonged to her and took it, meaning a replica had to be made. 

Rick Parfitt's custom-made white Fender Telecaster was described as 'priceless' by experts 

Rick used the instrument throughout his career and it is described as 'priceless' by experts, according to the Sun.

Lyndsay is said to have wanted the memorial to take place on the Costa del Sol, where she and Rick had lived with their eight-year-old twins Tommy and Lily.

A friend of Rick said: 'Lyndsay pushed for his memorial to take place in Spain but everyone told her where to go.

'Taking the guitar was the last straw, although she insists the situation was a misunderstanding.'

Manager Simon Porter declined to comment on the funeral arrangement.

Lyndsay has previously claimed that there was no money left to her in Rick's will.

Rick Parfitt wanted his guitar to be a centrepiece of his memorial service, but his third wife Lyndsay (pictured) insisted the guitar was hers and took it away only days before the service

She said: 'He has left me nothing. I'm going to have to take the children out of their private school and get a job.

'I am shocked to find myself with no financial means to look after myself and my children.

'No one has given me a full account of where all the money went.

Parfitt, pictured here with bandmate Francis Rossi (left) enjoyed huge success with Status Quo, racking up 21 gold discs and opening the Live Aid concert in 1985

Parfitt was also a notorious for his rock and roll lifestyle. He married and divorced three times and was at one point spending £1000 a week on cocaine

'I cannot pay my children's school fees and we'd have no food without my mother's pension.' 

Lyndsay also added that she was foolish to believe that she could tame the 'wild man of rock', who was spending £1000 a week on cocaine at the height of his fame.   

He also claimed at one point that it would 'take more than death to kill me'  

However the guitarist's years of partying sadly caught to him last Christmas Eve, when he passed away in Marbella, aged 68, after complications from a shoulder injury.

Rick married Lyndsay in 2006, but the couple split after a decade together when they reportedly 'clashed over his health and finances'

Ill health had dogged the musician for a number of years, partly as a result of years of drink and drug abuse.

He suffered a quadruple heart bypass in 1997, a throat cancer scare in 2005 and another heart attack in 2011.

Medics had first warned that Parfitt's rock and roll lifestyle could cost him his life as early as 1997.

Parfitt's friends, family and former bandmates all attended his funeral service in Surrey

Rick was laid to rest in his hometown of Woking, Surrey on January 20.

He received a rockstar's farewell, with all three of his blonde wives attending along with around 80 of his friends and bandmates.

Status Quo frontman Francis Rossi, 67, was among those who attended.

Mourners turned up at Woking Crematorium in Status Quo's double-decker tour bus, and many of the rocker's friends wore what looked like backstage passes in honour of Rick's wild touring days.

Status Quo band members (left-right) Leon Cave, Andy Bown, John 'Rhino' Edwards, Francis Rossi were all present at the service, despite a rocky relationship between Rick and Francis

Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley was among the guests.

He said: 'I've known Rick since I was 20. He is one of the nicest guys.

'Memories that come back to me are like Live Aid and Band Aid the record.

'Rick and Francis were just the funniest couple of guys when you're doing a record like that.

'I remember being at the side of the stage with Janice Long and they started playing Rockin' All Over The World and I looked at Janice Long and I said 'oh my god this is amazing there's 80,000 people here'. 

'He was just a really terrific fella.'  

 

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