Simon Mann’s fiancée leads mourners in paying tribute to the colorful mercenary who was beforehand jailed for his position within the failed 2004 Wonga Coup.
The lifetime of Outdated Etonian Mann, 72, who was an adventurer and brewing inheritor, was celebrated at a memorial service on the Guards Chapel in central London.
Throughout his life, the previous SAS officer was one among 70 mercenaries arrested in Zimbabwe for making an attempt to stage a coup in oil-rich Equatorial Guinea in 2004.
Sir Mark Thatcher, son of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, was later arrested in South Africa, after admitting to being a component within the coup try.
On Could 8, 2025, Mann suffered a deadly cardiac arrest and died within the arms of his bride-to-be Negar Yazdani.
Now, the lawyer, 50, has led the way in which at his memorial, carrying the center necklace he gave her shortly after their relationship bloomed two years in the past.
Alongside her is the mercenary’s third spouse, Amanda, who’s the mom to 4 of his seven kids.
After his launch from Equatorial Gunea’s infamous Black jail, the place Mann was jailed for his half within the coup, he was reunited with Amanda, however they cut up final yr.
Simon Mann’s companion Negar Yazdani on the Guards Chapel in Central London at the moment for his memorial service
The previous mercenary, 72, suffered a deadly cardiac arrest and died within the arms of his fiancée Negar Yazdani
His polo-playing son Jack, who was beforehand named as Prince Harry’s ‘actual finest man’, was additionally current at his father’s memorial service.
Carrying a darkish blue swimsuit, with an identical crimson and blue tie, Jack held on to an order of service, poking enjoyable at his time in Black Rock, the coup and his time within the forces.
Within the illustration, Mann will be seen strolling up the steps to heaven’s gate with a myriad of angels surrounding him holding indicators which learn, ‘Equatorial Guinea’, ‘Eton Pop’, ‘Scots Guards’, and ‘SAS’.
On the underside of the cardboard a message reads ‘…Clarify your self!’, whereas close by an indication pointing downwards says ‘Black Rock’, referring to the jail he was beforehand jailed for his half within the failed 2004 Wonga Coup.
At his memorial, Negar stated: ‘Simon’s memorial was a lovely celebration of a outstanding life.
‘I’m grateful to his mates, household, and former colleagues who travelled from internationally to honour him — a real testomony to the deep respect and love he impressed.
‘Simon was not solely an ideal man, however a legend and a hero whose legacy will proceed to stay on within the hearts of all who knew him.
‘I’ll miss his zest for all times, mischievous humour, boundless power, unwavering loyalty, love, and kindness — qualities that outlined him and touched everybody round him.’
In 1952, Mann was born into a lifetime of privilege and had a distinguished navy profession earlier than his entanglement within the coup.
His polo-playing son Jack, who was beforehand named as Prince Harry’s ‘actual finest man’, was additionally current at his father’s memorial service
The previous SAS officer’s third spouse, Amanda, who’s the mom to 4 of his seven kids additionally honoured the ex-SAS officer
His father George captained the England cricket group within the Nineteen Forties and was an inheritor to the Watney Mann brewing empire.
After Sandhurst, he served within the Scots Guards and SAS in Cyprus, Germany, Norway and Northern Eire, volunteering as a reservist within the first Gulf struggle in 1991.
In 1996, Mann fashioned the mercenary or ‘Personal Navy Firm’ Sandline with former Scots Guards Colonel Tim Spicer, working in Angola, Sierra Leone.
In 2004, Mann hit the headlines when he and 69 different ex-soldiers have been arrested throughout a stop-off at Harare Airport to be loaded with £100k of weapons and gear meant to engineer the coup in Equatorial Guinea and overthrow the federal government of President Teodoro Obiang.
Mann and the opposite conspirators claimed they have been merely flying to the Democratic Republic of Congo to supply safety for diamond mines, however after a trial in Harare, he was given seven years for making an attempt to purchase arms for an alleged coup, whereas 66 different males have been acquitted.
Thatcher, nicknamed ‘Scratcher’, in the meantime, was arrested at house in Cape City and ultimately pleaded responsible to ‘negligently supplying monetary help’ to the plot.
The coup was financed by Lebanese fixer Eli Calil, nicknamed ‘Smelly’ by his ex-public college co-conspirators, who later died falling downstairs at his house in Holland Park, West London.
President Obiang promised that he would eat Mann’s testicles and drag his bare physique by means of the streets, ought to he ever get the possibility.
Later in 2007, a courtroom in Zimbabwe dominated that Mann must be extradited to Equatorial Guinea after a shady settlement between the 2 governments branded the ‘Oil for Mann’ deal.
The then Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe secured a considerable amount of oil from Guinea, extensively believed to be in return for sending Mann north to fulfill his destiny.
Multi-millionaire Mann was thrown into the infamous Black Seaside Jail, the place he was clapped in leg irons and would serve lower than two years of a 34-year sentence,
Nevertheless, throughout his keep he suffered with malaria a number of occasions and was caged in a tiny cell in solitary confinement.
Within the UK, his loyal spouse Amanda, fought with others for her husband’s launch, carrying a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan: ‘A person is for Christmas. Not for all times.’
In 2009 he was granted a ‘full pardon on humanitarian grounds’ by President Obiang, the person he had tried to depose.
He later settled within the New Forest together with his spouse Amanda, however the couple have been reported to have cut up in 2024.
He later struck up a relationship with Negar, who he had deliberate to marry after his decree absolute, which was due in August, was granted.
‘Simon requested me if I’d severely contemplate marrying him very early on. We have been in Mauritius, on a seashore. I stated sure,’ she stated in September.
Within the illustration, Mann will be seen strolling up the steps to heaven’s gate with a myriad of angels surrounding him holding indicators which learn, ‘Equatorial Guinea’, ‘Eton Pop’, ‘Scots Guards’, and ‘SAS’.
‘He promised he’d suggest correctly as soon as he was free, with a ruby, my birthstone. He informed me that he by no means wore a marriage band however that with me he needed to, and could be proud to.’
‘Individuals write about Simon and his exploits as if it was nonetheless 20 years in the past however he was a really modified man.
Of the morning he died, she added: ‘He took my hand, and stated: “Look me within the eye. I need you to know I am the happiest I’ve ever been and all of the ache I’ve had in my life has been price it to fulfill you and have this. I cherish each second with you and I need many extra”.’
‘For the primary time he needed a household life which did not contain flying off to a battle in Africa.
‘The night time earlier than he died, we went purchasing for dinner at Waitrose and sat down to observe Downton Abbey, one thing with no blood and no struggle. He knew what he’d been lacking.
‘He was instructing himself to prepare dinner, had simply mastered a hen Kiev, he was re-reading the whole works of Shakespeare and would recite Kipling’s poetry to me; he was finding out science, and was on high of AI and new tech.
‘I feel in his 70s he needed to make up for a previous crammed with adventures by having a quiet, pleased life with somebody he cherished.’
