Phil Collins says one of music’s longest-running personal grudges has finally come to an end, revealing that he and Paul McCartney have made peace more than two decades after an awkward encounter damaged their relationship.
The 75-year-old Genesis star recently revisited the 2002 moment that left him feeling belittled by the former Beatle. Collins now says the two musicians have spoken directly, addressed the misunderstanding and moved on.
The rift began at Buckingham Palace in 2002
Collins has long said the tension started during rehearsals for Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. A devoted Beatles fan, he brought a rare first-edition book about the band and asked McCartney to sign it.
According to Collins’ account, McCartney made a remark referring to him as a big Beatles fan and calling him “our little Phil.” Collins interpreted the comment as condescending and carried the irritation for years.
He later discussed the encounter in interviews and in his 2016 memoir Not Dead Yet. McCartney reportedly attempted to smooth things over by email at one point, but Collins did not respond, allowing the awkwardness to linger.
A charity project helped reopen communication
The path to reconciliation came through a King’s Trust charity auction. Collins was involved in collecting music memorabilia, and McCartney’s participation helped put the two musicians back in contact.
Collins said they eventually spoke by phone and addressed the old disagreement. With decades of distance from the original exchange, he acknowledged that McCartney may not have intended the remark in the way he heard it and expressed regret over some of his own public comments.
The conversation ended on good terms, effectively closing a dispute that had followed both artists for 24 years.
Collins appears relieved to put the feud behind him
In discussing the reconciliation, Collins suggested the issue may have weighed on both men more than either wanted to admit. The Genesis singer has been candid about valuing personal relationships and wanting to be liked, particularly as he reflects on his life and career from a different stage of adulthood.
The resolution is notable because Collins and McCartney are two of Britain’s most successful musicians. Their careers followed different paths, but both became global stars whose work shaped popular music across multiple decades.
Collins rose from drummer and singer with Genesis to an enormously successful solo career, while McCartney’s post-Beatles work extended through Wings, solo albums and decades of touring.
A small comment became a decades-long misunderstanding
The story is also a reminder of how a brief exchange can take on a life of its own when neither side resolves it directly. What began as a comment during a rehearsal eventually became part of Collins’ memoir and a recurring topic in interviews.
Now, after a phone call and a chance to revisit what happened, Collins says the relationship is in a much better place. For fans of both musicians, the update replaces an old story about resentment with a simpler ending: two music legends finally talked it out.