10 facts you didn’t know about Prince

10 facts you probably didn’t know about Prince. / Getty Images

1. His father, John Lewis Nelson, known as Prince Rogers, was a pianist and co-wrote some of his son’s songs. Prince was named after his father. He died in 2001 at age 85. Prince’s mother, Mattie Della Shaw, was a jazz musician and singer. His parents separated when he was 10 years old.

2. Prince’s childhood nickname was Skipper.

3. Prince had one sister, who was musician also. Tika Nelson, who also goes by Tyka, was his only full sibling, and two years younger. She released a debut album in 1988, and another in 2008 which reportedly focused on her addiction, which Prince helped her overcome.

4. Prince had five half brothers and sisters, products of his father’s marriage to Vivian Nelson. They are Lorna Nelson (who passed away in 2006 aged 63), Norrine Nelson, Sharon Nelson, John R. Nelson, and Duane Nelson, who was Prince’s head of security but passed away when he was 52.

5. Prince was married twice - to Mayte Garcia (1996-2000) and Manuela Testolini (2006-2011).

Mayte and Prince perform on stage in 1995 in London. / Getty Images

6. He had many high-profile relationships, including with Madonna, Kim Basinger, Sherilyn Fenn, Carmen Electra and Sheila E., among others. He was engaged to Susannah Melvoin in 1985.

Actress Kim Basinger pictured with Prince in 1988. / Getty Images

7. He was briefly a father. Prince and his wife Mayte had a son, Boy Gregory, who was born in 1996 but died a week later from Pfeiffer syndrome.8. In 2006, Prince released the album 3121 through Universal Records (he had a well-documented fractious relationship with his former label Warner Brothers), and the video to the single ‘Te Amo Corazon’ was filmed in Marrakech and directed by Hollywood actress Salma Hayek.

9. He headlined the 2008 Coachella Festival and was, according to Reuters, paid more than US$5 million for his performance.

Prince pictured onstage at Coachella in 2008. / Getty Images

10. Two years ago, he re-signed with Warner Bros after an 18-year split, and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his 1984 breakthrough album Purple Rain, he released a remastered deluxe edition, and the label gave him ownership of the master recordings of his Warner recordings.