In memoriam: The Queen, Pele, Shane Warne, business leaders and celebs who died in 2022
The death of Her Majesty the Queen punctuated a year dominated by economic turmoil, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and political upheaval.
As 2022 winds down, it’s time to reflect on those who passed on, from the world of politics, sport, entertainment and, business.
Queen Elizabeth’s death aged 96 after more than 70 years on the throne brought the country – and much of the world – to a standstill, and led to a period of global and national mourning.
The world also said goodbye to sporting legend Shane Warne, EastEnders star June Brown, Singer Meat Loaf and the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev.
On 29 December, one of the world’s greatest ever sporting icons, Pele, died aged 82. Within hours fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood also passed away at the same age.
We look back on a turbulent year and recall those who left their mark for the last time:
January
07 January – Labour MP Jack Dromey dies suddenly aged 73.
11 January – David Sassoli, the president of the European parliament, died at the age of 65
16 January – City grandee Paul Myners, known as a steady ship in the capital’s financial affairs, died at the age of 73.
The former Labour minister was brought into Gordon Brown’s government to help tackle the financial crisis of 2008, after making a name for himself in the fund managing space.
21 January – Meat Loaf, the singer best known for the “Bat Out of Hell” album, died at the age of 74.
February
21 February – Entrepreneur and YouTube star Jamal Edwards died at the age of 31, sending shockwaves through the music industry.
March
4 March – Australian cricket legend Shane Warne died of a suspected heart attack, aged 52.
Tributes poured in from across the sporting world today, with England Cricket tweeting that Warne “changed cricket”.
Known as a tormenter of English top orders throughout his career, Warne announced his arrival into Ashes cricket in 1993 at Old Trafford.
He bowled the famed ‘ball of the century’ on his very first delivery, dismissing England batsman Mike Gatting.
April
3 April – June Brown, the EastEnders actress famed for playing chain-smoking launderette worker, June Brown.
30 April – Dutch-Italian football agent Mino Raiola died at the age of 54.
The football super-agent, who shot to fame for his work with football legends including Paul Pogba and Mario Balotelli, died after suffering a period of sickness lasting several months.
May
June
13 June – Dragon’s Den stars paid heartfelt tribute to former businesswoman Hilary Devey following her death aged 65.
24 June – Michel David-Weill, investment banker and former chair of Lazard. He was 89.
28 June – Dame Deborah James passed away from bowel cancer aged 40.
She was known for her podcast series, BowelBabe, raising awareness about the illness.
July
04 July – The well-known author and journalist Susie Steiner passed away aged 51.
25 July – Former Northern Ireland first minister David Trimble died at the age of 77, following a short illness.
August
09 August – Raymond Briggs died aged 88. He was famous as an illustrator and writer who worked on well-known works such as The Snowman, Father Christmas and Ethel And Ernest.
31 August – Mikhail Gorbachev, the former Soviet Union president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, credited with ending the Cold War, died aged 91
September
1 September – Former colleagues and Piers Morgan were among those to pay heartfelt tributes to ex BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull, who died aged 66.
7 September – Brenda Trenowden, banker and campaigner, died aged 55. She was chair of the 30% Club and City Women’s Network. She spearheaded efforts to improve diversity and gender balance in the FTSE100.
8 September – Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, died aged 96 at her Scottish country residence, Balmoral.
23 September – Hilary Mantel died aged 70, a novelist and critic.
23 September – Andrew Edmunds, restaurateur and art dealer who ran a famous Soho restaurant under his own name.
October
19 – October – London’s business community remembered the life of Tony Berry who passed away aged 81 after a long illness.
Generally considered a leading London businessmen of his generation, Berry’s drive and deal-making took him to the chairmanship of a £1bn-valued company.
28 October – Controversial rock and roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis died aged 87. He was known for having been married seven times, including to a 13-year-old cousin.
November
8 November – Veteran financier Sir Evelyn de Rothschild died at the aged 91.
22 November – Former chair of Brighton Pier Group, Jim Fallon.
30 November – Fleetwood Mac star Christine McVie died following a short illness at the age of 79.
December
10 December – Former businessman and Conservative cabinet minister Lord Young of Graffham died aged 90. He served twice as secretary of state during the 1980s and was considered one of Margaret Thatcher’s right-hand men.
17 December – Mike Hodges, British screenwriter, film and TV director, as well as director, playwright and novelist died aged 90.
18 December – Terry Hall, the frontman and musician who was in British Ska band The Specials.
29 December – Pele, one of the greatest footballers of all time, died aged 82.
The three-time World Cup winner had been in hospital in Sao Paulo since late November.
29 December – Dame Vivienne Westwood has died aged 82. She died peacefully surrounded by her family in Clapham, South London
