The 'mumager' and stepfather who made Charlotte Church a millionaire: Child prodigy was ²ÁÃ͡ʤ¬¤¢¤ë¡Ë ¡ò25 million by 11 and says her mother's partner ²¡¤·¿Ê¤á¤ëd her to stay in the limelight - but '°µÎÏ cooker' of fame almost Çѵõd their ´Ø·¸

By Jo Tweedy For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

Charlotte Church?ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d this week that the ÊúÍʤ¹¤ë personal fortune of ¡ò25 million she amassed as a child soprano has all but disappeared, with the now 38-year-old À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ë ¡Ê¿ÍÌ¿¤Ê¤É¤ò¡ËÃ¥¤¦¡¤¼çÄ¥¤¹¤ëing she's 'no longer a millionaire'.

The singer, who?first ȯ¼Í to fame at the age of just 11, after singing Andrew Lloyd Webber's Pie Jesu on ITV's This Morning, ¿­¤Ó¡Ê¤ë¡Ëd »ÙÇۡʤ¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿ÅýÀ©¤¹¤ë of her own ºâÀ¯¡¿¶âÍ»s at the age of 16, after sensationally ²ò¸Û¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëing her mother, Maria, and her step-father James, who'd helped her earn her teenage millions.?

In a new interview this week, the singer once dubbed the 'ȯ¸À¤¹¤ë¡¿É½ÌÀ¤¹¤ë of an Angel' ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d that her six-bedroom ¡ò1.5million mansion has been Ëǰסʤ¹¤ë¡Ëd in for a more humble Ⱦʬ-detached ½êͭʪ¡¿»ñ»º¡¿ºâ»º in her native ¤à¤Á¤ÎÀ×s in a ´ë¤Æ¡¤ÅØÎÏ¡¤Äó°Æ to keep her ºâÀ¯¡¿¶âÍ»s stable.?

From that first TV ¶ÈÀÓ¡¿À®²Ì until a ¤ß¤´¤¿¤¨¤Î¤¢¤ë teenage È¿Íð five years later that would break the family apart, 'mumager' Maria and stepfather James Church, who ·ëº§¤¹¤ë Maria when the singer was just three and ²Ä·è¤¹¤ë¡¦ºÎÂò¤¹¤ëd her in 1999, were ·ø¸Ç¤Ë in the ±¿Æ°ing seat of the child prodigy's career.?

Opportunities: After shooting to fame at just 11, Charlotte Church would amass a ¡ò25million personal fortune during her teenage years, with her mumager Maria, and stepfather James, guiding the young soprano's career - but this week, the star suggested she felt pressured during her teenage years to keep making money

ŬÀڤʻþ´üs: After ÁÀ·â to fame at just 11, Charlotte Church would amass a ¡ò25million personal fortune during her teenage years, with her mumager Maria, and stepfather James, guiding the young soprano's career - but this week, the À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ë ¼¨º¶¤¹¤ëd she felt °µÎÏd during her teenage years to keep making money

This week, the star, who revealed most of her millions have now gone, said her step-father James wanted to keep her in the spotlight despite her desire to live more like a normal teen

This week, the À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ë, who ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d most of her millions have now gone, said her step-father James ¼êÇÛÃæ¤Î¡¤¤ª¿Ò¤Í¼Ô to keep her in the ¥¹¥Ý¥Ã¥È¥é¥¤¥È ¤Ë¤â¤«¤«¤ï¤é¤º her ´ê˾¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë to live more like a normal teen

The singer, who's now married to musician Jonathan Powell, has long referred to James as 'dad' after her À¸Êª³Ø¤Î father, Stephen Reed, who died from Covid in 2021, walked out on the family when she was just a toddler.

However, this week she È¿±Ç¤¹¤ëd on her stepfather's ambition, ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹ing his ´ê˾¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë to keep Àâ yes to lucrative ŬÀڤʻþ´üs that ¡Êµ¡¤Î¡Ë¥«¥à the ½½Âå¤Î¾¯Ç¯¾¯½÷'s way Ͷȯ¤¹¤ëd the ÉÔÏ that would ·ë¶É end their working ´Ø·¸.?

The mother-of-three said: 'When I made money, I did say to my dad when I was 14, "I'm not sure about this showbiz stuff. I'm not really having a good time," and he was like, "Just stick at it as we don't get these ŬÀڤʻþ´üs."

While the three are now ¤Î¶á¤¯¤Ë once more - ÆÃ¤Ë since James' diagnosis with rare ½ªÅÀ illness AL amyloidosis in 2019, her stratospheric success and the °µÎÏs of fame for a time Ê´¡¹¤Ë¤¹¤ëd their ´Ø·¸ - with Charlotte estranged from her mum and stepfather for two years when she was just 16.?

In 2022, the singer ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d how, ¼ºË¾¤µ¤»¤ëd by a gruelling showbiz schedule and having ľÌ̤¹¤ëd terrifying Ͷ²ý¤¹¤ë ¶¼¤·s, she rebelled aga inst her mum and stepfather, running away from the family home at 16.?

As a child prodigy who sang in front of the Pope, Charlotte Church amassed a fortune of ¡ò25 million by the time she was 11, but says her huge wealth has been lost in the decades since (pictured in 1999)

As a child prodigy who sang in Á°Àþ of the ¥í¡¼¥ÞË¡²¦, Charlotte Church amassed a fortune of ¡ò25 million by the time she was 11, but says her ÊúÍʤ¹¤ë wealth has been lost in the £±£°Ç¯´Ös since (pictured in 1999)

She told?Kate Garraway's Life Stories that she 'needed to be ²òÊü¤¹¤ë¡¿¼«Í³¤Ê' and bolted from her mum and James' care ¤Ë°ú¤­Â³¤¤¤Æ an argument with Maria, who had caught her smoking.

The Íî¤Á¤ë-out was so ¸·¤·¤¤, it resulted in Maria ¶ì¤·¤àing a nervous ·èÎö¡¿¸Î¾ã after the former child À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ë ¼­Âह¤ëd to speak to her and stepdad James for nearly two years.

Speaking about that time, Charlotte said she was just ²¡¤·¿Ê¤á¤ëing »Ù±ç¤¹¤ë on her À©¸Â¤¹¤ëd life: 'As far as I am ´Ø¿´d, I needed to be ²òÊü¤¹¤ë¡¿¼«Í³¤Ê. I felt I had to be this other eternally young, innocent little girl. I just had to ºï¸º¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë the ´Ø·¸.'

Charlotte 38, recently claimed she is 'not a millionaire' anymore and is being forced to downsize her home. Pictured: In May 2023

Charlotte 38, recently ¡Ê¿ÍÌ¿¤Ê¤É¤ò¡ËÃ¥¤¦¡¤¼çÄ¥¤¹¤ëd she is 'not a millionaire' anymore and is ¸ºß ·³Ââd to downsize her home. Pictured: In May 2023

Charlotte Church sitting outside Rydoldog House, which she has turned into a wellness retreat after buying it for ¡ò1.5million; she sold the property in March this year

Charlotte Church sitting outside Rydoldog House, which she has turned into a wellness ÂàµÑ¡¿ÊÝÍÜÃÏ after buying it for ¡ò1.5million; she sold the ½êͭʪ¡¿»ñ»º¡¿ºâ»º in March this year

The singer's early career was controlled by her mother Maria and step-father James (Pictured, with mum Maria in 1999)

The singer's Áá´ü¤Ë career was controlled by her mother Maria and step-father James (Pictured, with mum Maria in 1999)

Candid: Charlotte Church has confessed she feels terrible after running away from home aged 16 following an argument with her mum Maria, who had caught her smoking (pictured in 2005)
Wild child:?Charlotte said: 'As far as I am concerned, I needed to be free. I felt I had to be this other eternally young, innocent little girl. I just had to cut the ties' (pictured 2008)

Normal teen: Ϸǯ¤Î just 16, Charlotte broke ²òÊü¤¹¤ë¡¿¼«Í³¤Ê from her stifling showbiz schedule and ran away from home, breaking ´Ø·¸ with her mum and James for two years after she was caught smoking (The singer pictured in 2005, and, ¸¢Íø 2008)

Heartbreak: After sacking her parents when she was just 16, the teen soprano largely took control of her own finances, with her mum and step-parents using the money they'd made to invest in various ventures including a pub, B&B and more recently a dog grooming business? (The family pictured in 2004)

Heartbreak: After ²ò¸Û¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëing her parents when she was just 16, the teen soprano ÂçÉôʬ¤Ï took »ÙÇۡʤ¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿ÅýÀ©¤¹¤ë of her own ºâÀ¯¡¿¶âÍ»s, with her mum and step-parents using the money they'd made to Åê»ñ¤¹¤ë in ¤µ¤Þ¤¶¤Þ¤Ê Å굡¡¦ÅÒ¤±¤ës ´Þ¤àing a pub, B&B and more recently a dog grooming ¾¦Çä¡¿»Å»ö? (The family pictured in 2004)?

Without her parents help with finances, the Welsh singer reportedly spent her millions, including ¡ò10,000 on a girls' holiday to Ibiza back in 2004

Without her parents help with ºâÀ¯¡¿¶âÍ»s, the Welsh singer ÊóÆ»¤Ë¤è¤ì¤Ð spent her millions, ´Þ¤àing ¡ò10,000 on a girls' holiday to Ibiza »Ù±ç¤¹¤ë in 2004

There had also been a bitter ¹çˡŪ¤Ê À臘¡¿À襤 in 2000, with pop talent ·Ð±Ä¼Ô¡¿»ÙÇÛ¿Í Jonathan Shalit, who first discovered Charlotte while she was À®¤·¿ë¤²¤ëing in a pub in Cardiff.

The ¹çˡŪ¤Ê Íí¤Þ¤ë saw James and Maria settle in a °ãÈ¿ of ·ÀÌó »öÎã¡¿´µ¼Ô when the singer was just 14.??

Shalit's lawyers ¡Ê¿ÍÌ¿¤Ê¤É¤ò¡ËÃ¥¤¦¡¤¼çÄ¥¤¹¤ëd Maria had ²ò¸Û¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ëd him while in ·ÀÌó because she no longer ¼êÇÛÃæ¤Î¡¤¤ª¿Ò¤Í¼Ô to »Ùʧ¤¦¡¿Ä¶â his ¡ÊÇäÇã¡Ë¼ê¿ôÎÁ¡¤°ÑÂ÷¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿°Ñ°÷²ñ¡¿¸¢¸Â.?

The teenage singer said outside the courtroom when the »öÎã¡¿´µ¼Ô was over: 'This has been a horrible year for me and the »Ä¤ê¡¿µÙ·Æ¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë of the family. I am really glad it is all over.'?

However, just two years later the ½½Âå¤Î¾¯Ç¯¾¯½÷ sensationally ²ò¸Û¤¹¤ë¡¿Ë¤²Ð¡¿¼Í·âd James and Maria, after she became romantically ȼ¤¦¡¿´Ø¤ï¤ëd with DJ Steven Johnson, who her parents Ʊ°Õ¤·¤Ê¤¤d with.

She said finding fame changed the family's dynamic:?'I don't think anything went wrong it was just like a °µÎÏ cooker... there was a couple of Ͷ²ý¤¹¤ë ±¢Ëšʤò´ë¤Æ¤ë¡Ës when I was a kid, a whole Ééô of ¶¯Ä´¤¹¤ë¡¿¥¹¥È¥ì¥¹ and °µÎÏ, we were living in each other's pockets.

The family's fall-out was so severe, it resulted in Maria suffering a nervous breakdown after the former child star refused to speak to her and stepdad James for nearly two years

The family's Íî¤Á¤ë-out was so ¸·¤·¤¤, it resulted in Maria ¶ì¤·¤àing a nervous ·èÎö¡¿¸Î¾ã after the former child À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ë ¼­Âह¤ëd to speak to her and stepdad James for nearly two years?

Close again: After Maria and James stepped away from her career, the family eventually reconciled and now enjoy a close relationship? (mother and daughter pictured in 2019)

¤Î¶á¤¯¤Ë again: After Maria and James stepped away from her career, the family ·ë¶É reconciled and now enjoy a ¤Î¶á¤¯¤Ë ´Ø·¸? (mother and daughter pictured in 2019)?

'Absolutely my best friend': Charlotte revealed her devastation in 2019 after learning her stepdad is terminally ill

'ÀäÂÐ my best friend': Charlotte ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d her ¹ÓÇÑ in 2019 after learning her stepdad is terminally ill

Charlotte married musician Jonathan Powell in a secret ceremony surrounded by just a few friends and family in 2017 (pictured in 2015)

Charlotte married musician Jonathan Powell in a secret µ·¼° surrounded by just a few friends and family in 2017 (pictured in 2015)?

Church Äɲ乤ëd: 'It¡Çs only with hindsight that I knew just what it meant to my mum. It felt like they had ´°Á´¤Ë lost me and just this whole life that we had built together for the last few years.'?

In the £±£°Ç¯´Ös since, James and Maria have long been financially ÆÈΩ¤·¤¿¡¦Ìµ½ê° of the singer, Åê»ñ¤¹¤ëing the money they made from Charlotte's career in a B&B and dog grooming ¾¦Çä¡¿»Å»ö.?

Maria once said: 'When she no longer needed us as chaperones after she reached 16, we had to think of new ways to earn money.?

'I knew we were good with people, so when a B&B ¡Êµ¡¤Î¡Ë¥«¥à up for sal e in 2003, we thought, ¡ÈLet¡Çs give this a go.¡É'.

James continues to battle ill health, but the couple are close once more to their daughter

James continues to À臘¡¿À襤 ill health, but the couple are ¤Î¶á¤¯¤Ë once more to their daughter

ºÇ¶á¤Î years have seen the trio closer than ever. In?2019, Charlotte ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d her ¹ÓÇÑ after James was ¿ÇÃǤ¹¤ëd with ½ªÅÀ illness?AL amyloidosis.?

She said: 'It¡Çs ÀäÂÐ terrifying the idea of not having him around. I rely on him for so much, he¡Çs my buddy, my ÀäÂФΠbest friend and has been for years.'?

James continues to À臘¡¿À襤 ill health but has so far È¿¹³¤¹¤ëd doctors ͽ¬s that he might live for just six months ¤Ë°ú¤­Â³¤¤¤Æ his diagnosis.?

¾ÚÌÀ¤¹¤ëing just how ¤Î¶á¤¯¤Ë Charlotte is with the man she calls 'Dad', he was the first guest on her new podcast series for BBC Sounds.?

In the first episode of 'Kicking »Ù±ç¤¹¤ë with the Cardiffians', James told his step-daughter about how his own ¤·¤Ä¤± had been Éϵ粽¤·¤¿ and at times »ÄµÔ¤Ê.?

He ½Ò¤Ù¤ëd his first memory growing up in ¤à¤Á¤ÎÀ×s as ¸ºß »ÙÇÛ¤¹¤ëd to ˽ÎÏ¡¿·ã¤·¤µ by his father.?

He said: 'My father had come home drunk because we all slept in the one bed. I've got two [siblings], a brother and a sister who are older than me. We didn't have pyjamas on and my father ¡Êµ¡¤Î¡Ë¥«¥à upstairs drunk and ¡Ê·Ù´±¤Î¡Ë½ä²ó¶è°è¡¤¼õ»ý¤Á¶è°è us with a belt. That was my first memory as a child.'

Charlotte Church with her ex Gavin Henson at a golf tournament in 2005; the couple bought a ¡ò500,000 home and a ¡ò800,000 yacht together

Charlotte Church with her ex Gavin Henson at a ¥´¥ë¥Õ tournament in 2005; the couple bought a ¡ò500,000 home and a ¡ò800,000 ¥è¥Ã¥È together?

The luxury yacht named 'Sket chy' that Charlotte bought with her ex-boyfriend rugby star Gavin Henson. Pictured: Swansea Marina in October 2009

The ¹âµé¤Ê ¥è¥Ã¥È »Ø̾¤¹¤ëd '¤¢¤é¤Þ¤·¤Î' that Charlotte bought with her ex-boyfriend rugby À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ë Gavin Henson. Pictured: Swansea Marina in October 2009

After a shocked Charlotte Åú¤¨¤ë¡¿±þ¤¸¤ëd: 'Wow, dad that's f***ing horrific', James Åú¤¨¤ë¡¿±þ¤¸¤ëd: 'It's not pleasant. That's why I think what you're doing (with this podcast) is really important.?

'There's a lot of other questions I wish that I'd ask my mother and father before they passed away.'

Charlotte ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d this week that 'she's no longer a millionaire' and has É餫¤¹¡¿·âÄƤ¹¤ë-sized to keep her ºâÀ¯¡¿¶âÍ»s in check.??

The former child À±¡¿¼çÌò¤Ë¤¹¤ë ǧ¤á¤ë she frittered away money when she first ¿­¤Ó¡Ê¤ë¡Ëd ºâÀ¯¾å¤Î »ÙÇۡʤ¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿ÅýÀ©¤¹¤ë in her late teens. She spent her fortune on a ¡ò500,000 lavish manor with ex Gavin Henson, an ¡ò800,000 ¥è¥Ã¥È, an Ibiza girls' holiday with a ¡ò10,000 Ë¡°Æ and, more recently, a ¡ò1.5 million hippie ÂàµÑ¡¿ÊÝÍÜÃÏ.

¤Ë¤â¤«¤«¤ï¤é¤º the 38-year-old ¾ÜºÙ¡Ê¤Ë½Ò¤Ù¤ë¡Ëing her ºâÀ¯¾å¤Î misfortune and having to downsize her home, she is ÊóÆ»¤Ë¤è¤ì¤Ð still sitting on »ñ»ºs of over ¡ò3.5 million in one of her companies and made a tidy Íø±×¡Ê¤ò¤¢¤²¤ë¡Ë of ¡ò700,000 on the ºÇ¶á¤Î sale of her house.?

Charlotte Church ¸Â¤é¤ì¤¿¡¿Î©·ûŪ¤Ê, of which she is the ñÆȤΠdirector, saw its »ñËÜ¡¿¼óÅÔ and reserves grow from ¡ò3.36million to ¡ ò3.5million in accounts, which were ¤È¤¸¹þ¤ß¡¿Äó½Ð¤¹¤ëd last month.

However, her The Dreaming ¸Â¤é¤ì¤¿¡¿Î©·ûŪ¤Ê, which owns the woman-¾ÇÅÀ¡Ê¤ò¹ç¤ï¤»¤ë¡Ëd countryside ÂàµÑ¡¿ÊÝÍÜÃÏ which she recently ³«»Ï¤¹¤ë¡¤ÂǤÁ¾å¤²¤ëd to »Ùʧ¤¦¡¿Ä¶âing guests,?has ÂáÊ᤹¤ë µÁ̳¡¿ÉéºÄs of ¡ò551,000.?

Charlotte Church¤à¤Á¤ÎÀ×sAndrew Lloyd WebberITV