Phil Collins made a rare public appearance in London over the weekend, stepping out to attend the King’s Trust’s 50th anniversary celebrations at Buckingham Palace. His ex-wife, Jill Collins, shared a photo of the occasion on Instagram, showing the pair alongside Rod Stewart and his wife, Penny Lancaster.
The former Genesis singer has largely stayed out of the spotlight in recent years after several health setbacks left him unable to play the drums.“Despite the heavy rain, which didn’t seem to dampen the celebrations, Phil and I were very proud and honored to be there and spend some special moments with King Charles, who seemed genuinely happy to see Phil, who had been the first Ambassador in 40 years and a Regent even before that,” Jill wrote in her post.
Phil Collins and Jill’s relationship with the King’s Trust
Jill also revealed that she and Phil, who were married from 1984 to 1996, work together at auction for The King’s Trust. “We are donating hundreds of items from our personal archive, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the King’s Trust, and we are also asking others to donate very special personal items,” she wrote. She added that Phil also designed a T-shirt to be sold, with all proceeds going to the organization.
Phil Collins’ health struggles in recent years
In January, Collins spoke openly about the health complications he suffered after suffering a spinal injury in 2007, which resulted in damage to the vertebrae in the upper part of his neck as well as significant nerve damage. He also developed a condition known as drop foot after back surgery, which makes walking difficult.Speaking to Zoe Bell on Eras, Collins described his situation as “an ongoing thing”.
“I have a nurse working 24 hours a day to make sure I’m taking my medication properly. I’ve had challenges with my knee. I’ve had everything that could go wrong with me,” he said. He added that he underwent five different knee surgeries and finally underwent a successful surgery. “I can walk, even with the help of crutches or anything else,” he noted.Collins also revealed at the time that he had been sober for two years.
He added: “Maybe I was drinking too much alcohol, which led to damage to my kidneys.” “I wasn’t one of those people who stayed up all night drinking. I used to drink during the day, but I think I had too much of it.” He added: “The last few years have been difficult, interesting and frustrating. But everything is fine now.”
Phil Collins returns to music
While Collins revealed in 2021 that he could no longer play the drums, he hinted during his “Eras” podcast interview in January that he might not be done with music completely.
“I’ve got some things not yet finished or never finished,” he said, “and some things finished, which I like, you know. Life in an old dog, perhaps. Yes. You’ll see.”Throughout his career, Collins has been nominated for 27 Grammy Awards and won eight, including Album of the Year for “No Jacket Required” and Best Original Score Album for “Tarzan.” He is also scheduled to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November.
