The artist formerly and presently known as Prince died yesterday in his Minneapolis studio at the age of 57. The cause of death is unknown (an autopsy is planned for today and this article may be updated after that happens). A plane that Prince was on last week made an emergency landing so that Prince could receive medical treatment for what his publicist said was the flu. Prince had been battling health problems for many years: he was epileptic and had recently been using a cane to get around. It is reported that he needed both hips replaced but his religion (Jehovah’s Witness) precluded that as an option.
The astrology chart of Prince Rogers Nelson tells an interesting story of a powerful yet troubled individual. Born under the lighthearted sign of Gemini, Prince had a strongly Plutonic thread running through his chart. Scorpio was rising (ruled by Pluto), Pluto opposed the Moon and conjoined the Midheaven, and his Sun was in the 8th house (ruled by Pluto). Where Gemini is flexible and fluid, Pluto is powerful and intense and when Pluto predominates in the chart as it does here there is a need for the individual to travel through the darkness of the underworld of the psyche in order to gain wisdom and a high level of personal power.
Saturn, the ruler of self-doubt and pressure to achieve, was retrograde which signifies a higher degree of self-criticism, and it opposed his Sun which is a potent driver towards success and a relentless critic at the same time. His softhearted Pisces Moon would have been rocked by the intensity of Pluto, and the dichotomy between his emotional softness (Moon) and this tremendous Plutonic force of continual transformation would have been a challenge on a personal level at the same time as it drove his career to soaring heights.
His death at age 57 is significant since the ages of 56-58 corresponds to the progressed Lunar Return and the Saturn Return). Just a few months ago Prince’s ex-partner Vanity died at age 57. Steve Jobs died at age 56. We often hear of the “27 Club” – the large number of brilliant musicians who have died at the age of 27, corresponding to the first progressed Lunar Return but less attention is paid to the second.
The progressed chart is a tool astrologers use for forecasting and while there are many methods to accomplish this I use “secondary progressions” which are simple and effective. During the period building up to Prince’s death there were several intense factors in the progressed chart that would have pushed any underlying issues to the forefront of the psyche and potentially create health problems. His progressed Sun had transited natal Uranus (ruler of electricity and the body’s electromagnetic field) a few years ago and aligned with Uranus in the progressed chart this year. This could have exacerbated conditions of the nerves such as epilepsy. In addition, his progressed Mars exactly squared natal Uranus just a few weeks ago which could have triggered any underlying rage but also would have intensified the nervous energy of the other Uranian factors.
We often see Jupiter (the Greater Benefic – liberator, bringer of good fortune) present at the time of death, and that is true here as well: Jupiter was in a challenging square to Prince’s Sun, offering a release from the emotional and physical challenges he was undergoing.
It is sad to see such a brilliant and creative soul flame out at such a relatively young age. Rest in peace Prince Rogers Nelson.
I like to use the 12th house to describe the end. With venus ruling the 12th in the 6th, indicating that he was ill at the time of his death, but also neptune in the 12th, opposing venus, indicating a possible overdose. With neptune in the 12th, there’s a good chance we will not know all the facts, even after the autopsy. I find it strange, that he told his fans to wait “a few days” with the prayers, after word got out about his hospital visit in Moline.
It wasn’t strange he asked fans to wait a few days at all. It was slight sarcasm or just a way of saying “hey, I’m not dead yet”! since he had no idea he would actually die. But the words were yes,prophetic.
As was his song “Sometimes it snows in April” about the death of an alter ego from one of his movies…
There are rumors of an overdose, it will be interesting to see if that turns out to be the cause of death. Apparently he did have an injection to offset the overdose a few days before.
An overdose will be surprising….
Prince did not drink, did not smoke and did not imbibe in recreational drugs. He used painkillers for his hip and knee pain. It was reported today that his red blood cell count was dangerornusurly low…..
Sheila E said he had been battling the flu and they thought it had turned into walking pneumonia. Between that and the use of opiates for his chronic pain, (and now, the severely low red BC count) it is possible we will never know the answer. Also potentially apparent in his chart as neptune was prominent too I believe. To further complicate the picture, Prince was a vegetarian. Perhaps he had a significant protein deficiency.
I believe also the full moon on April 22nd was conjunct his natal neptune….
Excellent! Thank you…..
Oh good GRIEF. Come out and say it. Mars square Uranus is hard on people but it is also DANGEROUS. It often leads to horrible accidents. It doesn’t just act on a persons “nerves”……that plus the Mars conjunct Ascendant, was pretty bad.
Mars square Uranus is not always dangerous, and I have no wish to fill my readers with unnecessary fear. There is enough fearmongering out there already. I do usually advise caution, but something as final as death may be triggered by Mars, but not caused by it.
I have Mars square Uranus in my natal chart, I think it has made my life
quite exciting. Now transiting Uranus is close to my 3 planets in Aries. My laptop
went haywire last night and I seem to have to make far more journeys
than usual & I am having to keep a close watch on my temper & put my brain into gear before I say what I think!
Boy, will I miss Prince! He was an important part of my late teen years and yes I still listen to his greatest hits CD during long trips in the car. His very sexual lyrics are naughty, unforgettable and very fun! Although I am very curious about the events surrounding his death especially from an astrological perspective, it is comforting to know that Jupiter was present to assist with his passing. Prince will always be admired and obviously was meant to connect the collective. It made sense when I read that he had a Pisces moon because sometimes his vulnerability was evident. Sometimes it is easy for me to forget that living degrees of Darkness along with Light are also part of our human journey.
Beautifully put Gina!
I noticed also that transiting Uranus was directly opposite his natal Jupiter, sudden release? So sad, too young. I am just 3 months younger than Prince, so well aware of age 57 stuff (I have my own issues, but nothing so intense as his – and the root of so much of his great talent).
Yes, ano