Sir Cliff Richard ‘Utterly Devastated’ by Death of Sister Donna Goulden at 73
LONDON — Sir Cliff Richard is mourning the loss of his beloved sister Donna Goulden, who died recently at the age of 73 after a period of illness. Friends say the singer, 84, is “utterly devastated” by the news, describing it as yet another emotional blow in what has already been a challenging period in his life.
Donna, whose full name was Donella, died of natural causes at her home in Great Amwell, Hertfordshire, where she lived with her husband Terry. She was one of Sir Cliff’s three sisters — alongside Jacqui and Joan — with whom the entertainer has shared a lifelong bond.
Close friend and television presenter Gloria Hunniford recalled, “I met Donna and I know how sad he will be. He was very close to all his sisters. He went to see Donna a short time ago, and they had been very much in touch recently. This will be a terrible blow for him, especially after the year he’s had.”
The Living Doll singer is expected to return to London for his sister’s funeral after performing in Denmark. According to friends, Donna and her sisters were frequent visitors to Sir Cliff’s homes in Portugal and Barbados. Their connection stretched back to their childhood in Surrey, where the family lived in modest conditions after moving from India in 1948. Sir Cliff, born Harry Rodger Webb, often shared a bed with Donna during those early years.
In his memoirs and past interviews, Sir Cliff has spoken warmly of the role his sisters played throughout his life. Donna, a devoted Elvis Presley fan, even influenced his perspective on fame and marriage. He once credited her teenage idol worship — and eventual disillusionment when Elvis married — as shaping his own decision to remain unmarried.
Their bond was more than emotional; Donna was actively involved in her brother’s early career. In the late 1950s, when Sir Cliff was starting out, she transcribed song lyrics for him and his bandmates, helping them memorize chord sequences. On his 1958 debut album Cliff, he covered Ritchie Valens’ Donna, a tribute to his sister in name if not in direct subject.
Sir Cliff’s grief over Donna’s death comes after an especially turbulent period. Over the past two years, he has endured what friends describe as “living hell” — losing close friends including Cilla Black and former manager David Bryce, while also facing false allegations of historical sexual abuse. Those allegations, which led to a police raid on his Berkshire home filmed by the BBC, were dropped in 2016 when prosecutors found “insufficient evidence” to bring charges. Sir Cliff has since pursued legal action against the broadcaster, stating that the episode “effectively turned my life upside down.”
Despite the strain, his sisters remained a pillar of support. When their mother, Dorothy, battled dementia for a decade before her death in 2007, Sir Cliff and Joan made a pact to avoid prolonged suffering should either face a similar fate — a sign of the deep trust and intimacy within the family.
Friends say the singer is now surrounded by a “strong family circle” as he processes his loss. TV personality Paul O’Grady remarked, “He’s had a terrible time. He is absolutely devoted to his sisters and will be at a complete loss.”
Donna is survived by her husband Terry, a film prop maker, and their two adopted Vietnamese children. Her passing closes a chapter in Sir Cliff’s life that began long before the fame, when they were simply siblings navigating the post-war years together.
For fans, the loss offers a glimpse into the private side of a public figure who has long valued his family above the glitter of his career. “I look at my life and I have a fantastic life,” Sir Cliff once said. “I have no desire to pass on genes — I have three sisters and between them 15 nephews and nieces. I’ve had them all over at my houses. I never feel alone.”
Now, as he prepares to say a final farewell to Donna, that closeness will be both a source of comfort and a reminder of the unbreakable ties that shaped him.