Where Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono Stand 45 Years After John Lennon’s Death: ‘They Have Both Suffered’

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Where Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono Stand 45 Years After John Lennon’s Death: ‘They Have Both Suffered’

Closer Weekly

Thu, August 20, 2026

Rowntree Bill / Mirrorpix/Newscom/The Mega Agency; Universal Archive/Universal Images Group/Newscom/The Mega Agency

A source says Paul McCartney continues to check in on Yoko Ono, underscoring a reconciliation that has evolved since John Lennon's death 45 years ago. 

The report, attributed to Closer, describes Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono as having a genuine friendship after years of distance during and after the Beatles' split.

Quotes from McCartney's 2013 Rolling Stone interview and his 2021 book, Lyrics: 1956 to the Presents, per People, outline his respect for John Lennon's choices and sympathy for Ono. 

The source adds that McCartney has defended Ono in recent years and that both share memories of Lennon. Background notes recall Lennon's 1980 murder and the pair's earlier rift and rapprochement.