80s rock icon being sued by former bandmates after years-long feud

Rock sensation Sting is reportedly being sued for millions over missing royalties by his former bandmates from The Police. The 73-year-old musician, whose real name is Gordon Matthew Sumner, is said to be involved in another legal battle. The Englishman in New York hitmaker was reportedly handed a High Court writ from guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland.

The former band members are thought to be suing the frontman for millions, claiming "substantial" damages, according to sources. An insider told The Sun: "This has been coming for quite some time.

"Lawyers tried repeatedly to reach an out-of-court settlement but hit a stalemate. Andy and Stewart decided there was no alternative than court, so pressed the button. They say they are owed millions in lost royalties."

London's High Court has listed the issue under "general commercial contracts and arrangements" with Sting appearing under his real name as a defendant, and his company, Magnetic Publishing Limited, also listed as a defendant.

The rock band was formed in 1977 and consisted of the three musicians. Over the years, the group has reunited and split several times, first parting ways in 1984 and most recently reuniting in 2008.

After their initial separation, Sting went on to have a successful solo career, releasing 15 albums between 1985 and 2021, many of which have become platinum. His most famous solo songs include Desert Rose, Fields of Gold, and Englishman in New York.

His most successful songs remain the ones he wrote for The Police's five albums. He was the only writer for their most successful tracks (including Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, Don't Stand So Close To Me, and Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic), meaning he has collected the royalties for the last few decades.

Every Breath You Take was the best-selling single of 1983 and the fifth best-selling of the decade, with reports suggesting that Sting earns £550,000 a year in royalties. A spokesperson for Sting denied to The Sun that the legal battle was regarding the hit track.

Combs famously sampled the track on his hit single, I'll Be Missing You, with Faith Evans, which was released in 1997. However, the band didn't ask for permission before using it, meaning the rocker took home a fortune in royalties.

During an appearance on The Breakfast Club, Sting was questioned about the sample and explained that he gets $2,000 (£1,478) a day for the rest of the producer's life. Diddy then rebutted, claiming he actually gets paid $5,000 (£3,697) a day.

Express.co.uk has reached out to representatives for Sting, Summers, and Copeland for a comment.