Mysterious mansion covered in spiders and skeletons is talk of ritzy suburb. Now its owner is revealed as reclusive female music megastar pictured for first time in 17 YEARS... see her secret life new life

By JOE HUTCHISON IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN Published: 18:45, 6 August 2026 | Updated: 18:59, 6 August 2026 If you walked past her in the neighborhood where she lives, you'd probably just mistake the woman headed to lunch with friends as a pleasant, well-to-do local. But there are subtle clues to this unassuming fifty-something's real identity as one of the world's most famous female rock stars, who has not been photographed in public since 2009. The long, jet black hair. The black and white striped Breton top. The $1,500 Gucci purse. And the Ford car with a red, black and white paint job. For this is Meg White, one half of The White Stripes – and one of the most loved but mysterious female rock stars of all time. Meg, now 51, enjoyed huge success with her ex-husband Jack White in the 2000s, with the couple's career only taking off after their four year marriage ended in 2000. Her drumming was initially panned as primitive by music critics, only to later become revered and praised as being ahead of its time.  Rock icon Meg White has been photographed in public for the first time since 2009, after the Daily Mail spotted her heading for an Italian lunch with friends in her hometown of Detroit Meg, who was half of iconic rock band The White Stripes, went for an Italian meal with friends, then toted home leftovers afterwards   Meg is seen with White Stripes bandmate and former husband Jack White in 2002. The rockers were married between 1996 and 2000, but remained together as a band after their split - and achieved enormous success   Meg and Jack's 2003 song Seven Nation Army has become an NFL anthem and remains one of the most popular tunes of the 21st century, 23 years after its release. The pair's striking red, white and black style was so iconic that they appeared as themselves on The Simpsons. Meg also fronted a fashion campaign for Marc Jacobs, while she and Jack infamously pretending to be siblings for a time, to try and avoid questions about their failed marriage. They released their sixth and final album Icky Thump in 2007, made their last public appearance on The Conan O'Brien Show in 2009 - then confirmed their split in 2011. Meg, who suffered from severe anxiety, subsequently disappeared into a life of contented Midwest anonymity, until now.  Earlier this week, the Daily Mail tracked Meg down in Detroit, where she grew up and continues to live. She still has her famous long hair, which was partially covered with a sun hat to shield her pale skin from the fearsome August sun. Meg White was seen enjoying a cigarette with two female friends in Detroit on Wednesday afternoon  Loyal to her Motown roots, Meg drives a Ford Bronco and has another of the manufacturer's autos in her driveway. The car giant is headquartered in Detroit   Meg wore a black sun hat to shield her pale skin from the fearsome August glare - but her famous long, black hair was still in evidence underneath Meg dressed casually for her outing in Detroit - but the $1,500 Gucci x Supreme bag she toted offered a subtle hint to her success and wealth  Meg said she quit showbusiness because of her severe anxiety and now appears to be enjoying a life of anonymity  She is seen here laughing after exiting her red, white and black themed Ford earlier this week The former rock star wore a white striped shirt and carried a Gucci bag for her lunch Meg and Jack White are pictured in a 2006 episode of The Simpsons, where they played themselves  Meg donned a simple black and white top, loose black pants and a chunky pair of black boots for a lunch outing to an Italian restaurant with two female friends. Afterwards, they shared a cigarette and a chat while toting bags of leftovers.  She and Jack were famous for wearing complementary red and white outfits at the height of their success, although Meg sometimes switched her clothing color palate to the black and white look that she displayed on Wednesday. When approached by the Daily Mail, Meg, who is famously shy, was extremely friendly and laughed out loud as she denied being the famous rocker. But when complimented on her music, she politely said 'Thank you' and gave the game away.  Earlier the same afternoon, Meg was spotted leaving her historic mansion, whose unusual exterior decor has long been the subject of local gossip.  Meg and her two friends shared a cigarette and a chat following their lunch at a spot in Dearborn The trio chatted for half an hour while smoking cigarettes outside the Italian restaurant  When approached by the Daily Mail, Meg, who is famously shy, was extremely friendly and laughed out loud as she denied being the famous rocker - before giving the game away  Meg chatted with her two friends after enjoying a long lunch in a mom-and-pop Italian restaurant The yellow property, which was built in 1905, has its exterior walls covered with giant decorative spiders and bats.  Its beautifully-tended gardens are filled with plastic skeletons - some of them clad in the flag of the Detroit Tigers baseball team.  The four-bedroom house, which Meg bought for $507,000 in 2004, is regularly discussed on local internet forums. Commenters often speculate as to the identity of its owner - with Meg's name occasionally mentioned, but never previously confirmed.  Chatter about its decor grew so feverish in 2021 that a woman named only as 'Tina' spoke to a local NPR affiliate about her decorating philosophy. 'Tina' told MPR: 'I don't do gory and I don't do cute. I just do old fashioned Vincent Price scary.' Meg's Detroit mansion, which she bought $507,000 in 2004, is regularly discussed on local internet forums because of its eccentric exterior decor The beautifully-tended gardens are filled with plastic skulls and skeletons  Enormous fake spiders are screwed into the yellow stucco of the home - with more skeletons wielding the flags of Detroit sports teams seen in its gardens  Speculation about the decor grew so fevered in 2021 that a local NPR affiliate interviewed the owner of Meg's mansion, who gave her name as 'Tina' 'Tina' told NPR that she had long preferred Halloween to Christmas, and decided to decorate it for Halloween all year round shortly after buying it She added: 'It's my house. I can do what I want.' 'Tina' explained how she had long loved Halloween more than Christmas - but added that she makes a concession to the festive season each year by putting Santa hats on her skeletons. Meg - who was married to second husband Jackson Smith between 2009 and 2013 - is so private that there is no information on whether she has since met a new partner, or had any children. But in the MPR interview about Meg's mansion, the woman named as Tina displayed a maternal side by revealing how much she enjoys giving out candy to thousands of young trick-or-treaters each Halloween. 'It's fun. It's crazy,' she said. 'I love the madness of it. Just having like a thousand kids run at you wanting candy, it's amazing. It's the best feeling.'  While Jack White has gone on to continued music success, Meg shows no sign of wanting to leave her bubble. Meg is seen with Jack on The Conan O'Brien Show in 2009. This was her final sighting in public - until earlier this week  She and Jack were famous for wearing complementary red and white outfits at the height of their success Meg is seen playing the drums at a concert in London in 2005. Many critics dismissed her skills as 'primitive,' but her musical abilities were later lauded as well ahead of their time  The duo were critically lauded, receiving six Grammys and a host of other awards Even her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025 failed to lure her out of seclusion, with Jack thanking organizers for the honor on her behalf. So, with no bad blood with her former bandmate, plenty of money and a life of simple  but eccentric anonymity that she evidently adores, there seems less chance than ever of a White Stripes reunion. And while many fans clamor to see Meg back by Jack's side, a growing number concede that her refusal to return to the spotlight only enhances her incredible enigma.