The Beatles’ Ringo Starr’s Daughter Faced Cancer Twice — She Is Now 52 and a Mom of Triplets

• Ringo Starr's daughter, Lee Starkey, experienced a tragedy when her mother died after a short illness, only to get her own diagnosis a year later.
• Lee struggled to settle on a career but got to feature alongside her father in a commercial, while her brother followed Starr's musical footsteps.
• The former Beatles musician's daughter has three children and has settled with the man she loves.

In 1994, Maureen Starkey Tigrett, Lee Parkin Starkey's mother, was diagnosed with leukemia before being admitted to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center on October 20, 1994. As part of her treatment, she underwent a bone marrow transplant from her eldest son, Zak Starkey.

Sadly, there were complications after the transplant, and on December 30, 1994, she died with her daughter by her bedside. At the time of her death, she was 47.

Tigrett had married Ringo Starr in 1965 before they divorced in 1975. Shortly after she died, in 1995, their daughter, born in 1970, discovered devastating news: she was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Lee underwent brain surgery at the Brigham and Woman's Hospital in Boston to remove the tumor. The surgery went well, and doctors informed her that she had a great chance of recovery. They happily revealed later that her prognosis was good and that the tumor was "completely removed."

After she was discharged, Lee was expected to remain in Boston for around six weeks to receive daily treatments at the hospital. She eventually fully recovered, but in 2001, six years later, she faced her second trial with the same disease. Upon her return to the Boston hospital, tests showed another tumor had developed, and it was a rare form known as an ependymoma. A source close to Starr said at the time:

"It really is too bad - everyone feels for her."

Luckily, Lee underwent more procedures, managed to beat her second diagnosis, and has since lived a fulfilling life, welcoming triplets along the way.

How Did Lee End up in Makeup and Fashion and What Was Her Life Path Like?

Starr and his first wife, Tigrett, welcomed their last child, Lee, on November 11, 1970, in London's Queen Charlotte Maternity Hospital. The former The Beatles drummer and Tigrett also welcomed their daughter's two older brothers, Zak and Jason.

Lee's parents separated in 1974 before divorcing the following year, with her mother getting custody of her and her brothers. The musician was only allowed visitation rights for his children.

In the 1980s, Lee struggled with settling into a career she wanted. She was 16 when she left King Alfred's School in Hampstead without qualifications. She ended up working briefly for Tower Records and then enrolled in drama school, but it didn't last long. She dropped out because she didn't enjoy it.

After managing to get her diploma, she signed up for a makeup school but didn't warm up to it either. She also worked for her stepfather (her mother's husband after Starr), Isaac's A Hard Rock Cafe and even starred alongside her father in an Oldsmobile commercial in 1989.

In the ad, the musician was featured being chased by adoring and screaming fans. His then 18-year-old daughter drives by to rescue him in a four-door Cutlass Supreme, which she called "A 'fab four’-door," in reference to The Beatles' former nickname.

In 1991, Lee and her friend Christian Paris opened a clothing boutique called Planet Alice on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, which sold clothes made in the 1960s. However, within a year, it closed. Eventually, she devoted her energy to being a makeup artist and fashion designer, and it stuck with her.

Meanwhile, Lee's brother Zak followed in their father's footsteps by becoming a musician. In 2006, he confessed that he wasn't a rock' n' roll star or famous, but he saw himself as a "very successful musician."

Zak, like his father, is a drummer. At the time, he played with two of the most popular bands in the world. Before he landed shows with Oasis and The Who, he played for ten years with unknown artists, having to drag his kit all over England to fulfill his passion.

She also shared how she envisioned the triplets starting their own band when they were older.

Later in life, he welcomed a baby named Luna, and on March 22, 2022, he revealed that he and his girlfriend of 18 years got married in celebration of their child's first birthday.

Lee's Current Happy Life with Her Long-Term Boyfriend and as a Mother

In January 2022, reports revealed that Lee, now 52, was living with her boyfriend, Jay Mehler, in London. The former Kasabian guitarist and Starr's daughter started seeing each other in 2006, and a few years later, she became a first-time mother when they welcomed their children in 2009.

The former The Beatles drummer became a grandfather to more children when his daughter and her boyfriend welcomed triplets: two boys, Smokey and Jakamo, and one girl, Ruby Tiger. They have been photographed with their parents at public events over the years, including attending the Rockins Happening event at Liberty London in June 2016.

The following year, Lee opened up about her kids in a rare interview. She revealed that the triplets, who were seven then, were receiving lessons from their famous grandfather, adding:

"They're all taking after Dad in the music department."

Lee shared how the kids had started learning from Starr several years before. Jakamo played the drums, Smokey also played drums and guitar, and their sister was more into the piano.

Lee also shared how she envisioned the triplets starting their own band when they were older. She proudly noted how the trio had sounded perfect for the ITV talent contest, "The Voice Kids."