Is Robert Smith Still Married to Mary Poole?

Written by Jeff Campbell in Band Members,Goth/Industrial Last Updated February 1, 2023

The Cure’s founder and frontman Robert Smith and Mary Poole tied the knot back in 1988. While the couple has been through thick and thin for decades, their fewer media appearances make many fans wonder, is Robert Smith still married to Mary Poole?

Robert Smith and Mary Poole are very much still married. They are incredibly private and rarely appear in the media, but their marriage appears to be just as strong as it was when Smith wrote “Love Song” for her.

In the music industry, it’s not uncommon to hear couples call it quits as the profession demands constant traveling and staying on the road most of the time.

While there are relationships that fail to bear the separation, there are also power couples like Robert Smith and Mary Poole who have serious goals to keep the relationship alive and thriving for 33 years.

In my personal opinion, it takes the will and dedication to keep going together and understand each other. Let us find out how Smith and Poole made it all this long.

Did Robert Smith write Love Song for Mary Poole?

On August 21st, 1989, The Cure released “Love Song”, a track from their eighth studio album Disintegration. The song was dedicated to Mary Poole as a gift from Robert Smith, who had married her a year before.

The lovebirds’ romance took its center stage in 1987 and became quite apparent through a video, “Just Like Heaven”. The couple confirmed their engagement by dancing together on a cliff of Beachy Head.

Mary had been a constant motivation throughout Robert’s life, pushing him to achieve success. She met him when Robert explored his musical talents and needed someone to ensure that he could make it in the industry.

When Robert was able to gain some financial stability, she left her job to stay closer to her husband. To express his gratitude, Robert wrote a song for Poole- Love Song to which he said:

“I couldn’t think of what to give her, so I wrote her that song — cheap and cheerful. She would have preferred diamonds, I think, but she might look back and be glad that I gave her that.”

Well! If a woman is as dedicated as Poole, I believe a single song isn’t enough to praise her. But Robert is Robert. Inspired by her, Smith wrote a song called- Love Song.

I mean, the guy poured his feelings into the lyrics:

Whenever I’m alone with you

You make me feel like I am home again

Whenever I’m alone with you

You make me feel like I am whole again

Whenever I’m alone with you

You make me feel like I am young again

Whenever I’m alone with you

You make me feel like I am fun again

You can’t deny the impact Mary’s had on Robert’s life.

And he made sure to give her credit as well. Poole is also known to have made appearances in several band videos, starting with M, which is a track in the band’s second studio album, Seventeen Seconds.

Does Robert Smith have children?

Robert Smith and Mary Poole have been in a relationship since the very early 80s but never had any children. The decision to stay childless has been a deliberate choice so they can focus on each other and so Robert can focus on The Cure.

The couple is happy and does not have any children.

I believe for some couples, having children does not necessarily define their loyalty towards each other. I mean, you could be married for 50 years, have eight children, and still not like each other. But in Robert and Mary’s case, it’s more about backing each other emotionally.

I watched an interview where Robert mentioned that at one point, Mary lacked confidence in Smith’s musical career which pushed him to work harder.

The couple made the decision not to have any children early in their life. When asked about the rearing of children, Robert said that he:

“Was against having children as he not only objects to having been born but refuses to impose life on another.”

Smith added to his opinion in another interview and said: “I do not feel responsible enough to bring a child into the world.”

Remaining childless has not affected their bond in any manner. They continue to support each other throughout their professions.

Where do Robert Smith and Mary Poole live?

Robert Smith and Mary Poole are believed to live in Kent or East Sussex in the southeast of England. There have been stories of Smith and his wife being spotted in several pubs of England. 

Robert and Mary are highly private in terms of disclosing their living style and locations.

They seem to enjoy isolation more than they do the public attention. I went up Googling, and I was surprised to see no information available related to their lodgings.

Fans won’t find anything related to the couple’s residence or current sheltering, but I looked up various platforms and found one portal where I saw a user mentioning: “Robert had moved to the South Coast of England in 1989 and has been staying there since.”

Another user commented: 

“Smith and Poole are notorious for living an extremely private life, so it’s no accident that their whereabouts are not usually found printed anywhere. But reports suggest that he is still living in the UK for his latest work commitments.”

How did Robert Smith meet Mary Poole?

Robert Smith met Mary Poole in a drama class at St Wilfrid Comprehensive school at the age of 14. Both became great friends soon and then began dating.  The couple married in the year 1988 and has been together since. 

To pursue their education, Robert and Mary both enrolled in St. Wilfrid Comprehensive School. As part of their drama class project, both were asked to pick a partner.

And the 14-year old Robert mustered up the courage and asked Mary Teressa Poole to be his partner.

Both enjoyed each other’s company, fell in love, and soon entered into a relationship. Encouraged by Poole, Robert started a band- “The Cure”.

All this while, Mary stood by his side and supported him to explore his musical talents and still does today.

Robert once told Pop magazine in 1996: 

“Mary means so incomprehensibly much to me. I actually don’t think she has ever realized how dependent I’ve been of her during all these years we’ve been together. She’s always been the one that has saved me when I have been the most self-destructive, she’s always been the one that has caught me when I have been so very close to falling apart completely, and if she would have disappeared — I am sorry, I know that I’m falling into my irritating, miserable image by saying it — then I would have killed myself.”

Does Mary Poole go on tour with Robert Smith?

Robert Smith’s wife, Mary Poole, has shied away from attending The Cure’s concerts and does not go on entire tours with the band. 

There are hardly any pictures available or media articles that can confirm her presence in her husband’s tours.

However, you can see pictures of her in attendance in 2019 when The Cure were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Mary and Robert both worked different jobs in their struggling years.

Mary had done some modeling, and she also took on a job at intellectually disabled children for some time.

When the couple’s financial condition improved, Mary left her job to keep close to her husband. She took control of the homefront while staying distant from making public appearances.

Mary Poole was recently spotted listening to her husband’s speech from the stage during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.

Other than this incident, I did not find any concrete instances of her attending her husband’s tours and concerts.

The Cure perform "Lovesong" at the 2019 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Conclusion

Unknown to what destiny had already decided for them, Robert Smith and Mary Poole met each other as part of a drama class project.

Both supported each other as friends do. Their friendship of 15 years blossomed into a relationship, and finally, both exchanged vows in the year 1988.

Their relationship is still going strong, and they are still married.

Photo which requires attribution:

Robert Smith by David is licensed under CC2.0 and was cropped and added to another image with a text overlay added.

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