Ronnie Kray remains one of Britain’s most infamous criminals, a man whose name still surfaces in conversations about the East End’s underworld decades after his death. But behind the sharp suits and the feared reputation was a diagnosed psychiatric condition that shaped his violent outbursts and ultimately separated him from his twin brother.
Born: 24 October 1933 ·
Died: 17 March 1995 ·
Diagnosis: Paranoid schizophrenia ·
Twin brother: Reggie Kray ·
Notoriety: East End gangster ·
Homicide convictions: 2 (one each twin)
Quick snapshot
- Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia during imprisonment (London Museum)
- Convicted of murder in 1969 and sentenced to life (The Sun Ireland)
- Exact number of murders linked to the twins beyond their two convictions (Wikipedia)
- Whether the brain was buried with his body or separately (National Report)
- Certified insane in 1979 before transfer to Broadmoor (A&E)
- Brain removed during autopsy after death in 1995 (National Report)
- Family reportedly pursued legal action over brain retention (National Report)
- Legacy continues through films and documentaries on the twins (HELLO! Magazine)
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Ronald Kray |
| Born | 24 October 1933 |
| Died | 17 March 1995 (aged 61) |
| Occupation | Gangster |
| Known for | Co-leader of the Kray twins |
| Criminal charges | Murder, armed robbery |
| Sentence | Life imprisonment (minimum 30 years) |
| Psychological diagnosis | Paranoid schizophrenia |
What was Ronnie Kray diagnosed with?
Ronnie Kray’s violence was not random—it was tied to a psychiatric condition that followed him from prison to hospital. He was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia during his imprisonment, a condition that shaped his behaviour and his treatment for years (London Museum). Prison psychiatrists described him as educationally subnormal, psychopathic, schizophrenic, and insane, painting a picture of a man whose criminality was inseparable from his mental illness (Wikipedia).
The diagnosis was severe enough that he was eventually transferred to Broadmoor Hospital, a high-security psychiatric facility (A&E). There, he was treated with constant medication, and a doctor reportedly noted that Ronnie became depressed, suspicious, and believed people were trying to injure him if he missed his tablets (HELLO! Magazine).
Why was Ronnie Kray buried with no brain?
The controversy around Ronnie Kray’s brain began after his death from a heart attack on 17 March 1995 (Wikipedia). According to one account, his brain was removed during autopsy and retained for research purposes without family consent (National Report). Another summary claims the brain was kept for Alzheimer’s research, though the exact reason remains disputed (Sunday Report).
Whatever the intended purpose, the practical consequence was that Ronnie was buried without his brain. Only years later, following a legal battle by surviving family members, was the organ reportedly buried separately—one account says in 2003, another in 2022 (British Bulletin). The conflicting dates and details show how little official documentation has emerged.
What mental health conditions did Ronnie Kray have?
Paranoid schizophrenia was the primary diagnosis, but it wasn’t the only label attached to him. One retrospective account suggests Ronnie had schizophrenia for at least 16 years by the time of his 1969 murder trial (HELLO! Magazine). His condition was described as chronic, requiring constant medication to manage symptoms that included paranoia and violent outbursts.
- Paranoid schizophrenia as primary diagnosis (London Museum)
- Described as psychopathic and schizophrenic by prison psychiatrists (Wikipedia)
- Condition worsened without medication, leading to suspicion and depression (HELLO! Magazine)
The implication is clear: Ronnie’s mental illness was not a side note but a defining factor in how his case was handled—and how his violent reputation was formed.
Did Ronnie Kray ever marry?
Despite his celebrity status in the East End, Ronnie Kray never married. He had a long-term partner, but no legal spouse was ever recorded (Wikipedia). This detail matters because it shaped who inherited his story and his estate after death—and who had the legal standing to challenge decisions like the brain removal.
Neither Ronnie nor Reggie had children, meaning the Kray line ended with the twins themselves (A&E). The absence of direct heirs left surviving relatives—extended family—to handle the aftermath.
Are any of the Kray family still alive?
Reggie Kray outlived his brother but not by long. He was released on compassionate grounds in August 2000 and died about eight weeks later (Wikipedia). Other Kray relatives have remained in the public eye, particularly through books and media appearances, but the central pairing of the twins is long gone.
Who was Ronnie Kray’s wife?
There was no wife. Ronnie’s personal life was complicated, but marriage was not part of it. This absence of a wife and children is one reason the legal battles over his brain and estate dragged on for decades—there was no clear primary claimant (National Report).
What this means: the Kray legacy was always a two-man operation, and once both twins were gone, the story passed to biographers, filmmakers, and the surviving extended family—each with their own version of events.
Who was tougher, Ronnie or Reggie Kray?
The question of which twin was tougher has fueled pub arguments for decades. The evidence points to Ronnie as the more physically imposing and more prone to violence, but Reggie was the more controlled operator. Ronnie was portrayed as volatile and unpredictable, while Reggie was more business-minded (A&E).
Ronnie was physically larger and stronger, which gave him an edge in raw confrontation (Wikipedia). But toughness isn’t just about size—it’s about willingness to act. Both twins were convicted of murder, each for a separate killing.
Which Kray twin was the worst?
If “worst” means most dangerous, Ronnie takes that title. His paranoid schizophrenia made his violence more unpredictable—he could turn on anyone at any moment. Reggie was more calculating, which made his violence more deliberate but no less brutal (A&E).
How did Ronnie and Reggie compare in strength and violence?
The contrast between the twins is stark: Ronnie’s mental illness amplified his dangerousness, while Reggie’s relative stability made him the more efficient criminal operator.
| Trait | Ronnie | Reggie |
|---|---|---|
| Physical build | Larger, stronger | Leaner |
| Temperament | Volatile, unpredictable | Controlled, calculating |
| Approach to business | Erratic | Methodical |
| Mental health | Paranoid schizophrenia | No equivalent diagnosis |
The pattern holds across their entire criminal career: Ronnie’s mental illness amplified his dangerousness, while Reggie’s relative stability made him the more efficient operator.
How many people did the Krays have killed?
The official record is narrow: the Krays were convicted of two murders—George Cornell, killed by Ronnie, and Jack McVitie, killed by Reggie (Wikipedia). But the suspected total is much higher, with some estimates suggesting they may have been responsible for up to ten killings over their criminal career.
That gap between conviction and suspicion is a defining feature of the Kray legend. The police were never able to prove the full scale of their violence, and the twins themselves were not forthcoming.
Who were the Krays scared of?
No one dominated the Krays, but they respected power. The Richardson Gang was their main rival in the London underworld (A&E), and the two groups operated in a tense equilibrium until the Krays’ arrest in 1968.
What murders were the Krays convicted of?
- George Cornell—shot by Ronnie Kray in 1966 (Wikipedia)
- Jack McVitie—stabbed by Reggie Kray in 1967 (Wikipedia)
Why this matters: the official murder tally is only two, but the fear the Krays inspired was built on the perception that they could kill anyone, anywhere, without consequence. That reputation was their real weapon.
What happened to all the Krays’ money?
The Krays ran protection rackets, nightclubs, and other enterprises that brought in serious money. But by the time of their deaths, most of it was gone. Police seizures, legal fees, and the costs of maintaining their lifestyle ate through their wealth (Wikipedia).
The financial picture is stark: two men who once controlled significant illicit income died with relatively little to show for it. Their empire was built on fear, but fear doesn’t hold value in a bank account.
What happened to the barmaid who testified against the Krays?
Testimony was the key to the Krays’ conviction. Several witnesses, including a barmaid, gave evidence at trial (Wikipedia). The fate of these witnesses after the trial is largely undocumented, though their bravery in testifying against such feared figures was decisive.
How did the Krays’ wealth disappear?
Part of it went to lawyers. Part went to the state through confiscation. Part was simply spent. The Krays lived large, and their business model—intimidation-based protection—didn’t survive their imprisonment (A&E). The trade-off was brutal: they chose power over wealth preservation, and both were lost.
For family members who survived them, the legacy was not money but notoriety—and a long legal battle over remains and reputations.
Ronnie Kray built an empire on violence and fear, yet his final decades were spent in a psychiatric hospital, medicated and monitored. The man who ruled the East End could not manage his own mind.
Timeline: Ronnie Kray’s life and aftermath
The key dates show how mental illness and criminality intertwined.
- 1933: Birth of Ronnie and Reggie Kray (Wikipedia)
- 1965: Ronnie diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia (London Museum)
- 1968: Arrested and convicted of murder (The Sun Ireland)
- 1979: Transferred to Broadmoor Hospital (A&E)
- 17 March 1995: Ronnie Kray dies in Broadmoor (Wikipedia)
- 1995 (post-mortem): Brain removed during autopsy for research (National Report)
These events trace a path from childhood to institutional death and post-mortem controversy.
What’s confirmed and what’s unclear
Separating fact from legend is central to understanding Ronnie Kray.
Confirmed facts about Ronnie Kray
- Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia during imprisonment (London Museum)
- Never married (A&E)
- Convicted of murder in 1969 (The Sun Ireland)
What remains unclear
- Exact number of murders committed by the Krays (Wikipedia)
- Whether the brain was ever buried with him or separately (National Report)
- Fate of all witnesses after the trial (Wikipedia)
- Whether the brain was removed with family consent (National Report)
These gaps show how much of the Kray story remains speculation, even decades later.
Voices on Ronnie Kray
“I’ve never killed anyone I didn’t know.”
Ronnie Kray, in an interview
Ronnie was the more dangerous twin.
John Pearson, author of The Profession of Violence
Ronnie was the toughest, but also the most troubled.
Reggie Kray, attributed
These quotes capture the conflicting views of a man both feared and pitied.
The legacy of Ronnie Kray
The mental illness that defined Ronnie Kray’s later years also framed how history remembers him. His paranoid schizophrenia is not an excuse for his crimes, but it is a context—one that separates him from his brother Reggie and explains some of the most violent episodes in their criminal partnership. The removal of his brain after death, and the legal battle that followed, added a macabre final chapter to a life already marked by institutionalization and control (National Report).
For those studying crime and criminal psychology, Ronnie Kray remains a case study in how untreated mental illness can collide with opportunity and violence. His legacy is a warning that toughness without stability is a dangerous combination—one that left families without answers and a body that wasn’t even whole when it was laid to rest.
For the surviving family, the closure they sought took decades and required legal intervention—a final reminder that even in death, Ronnie Kray’s story was never simple.
Frequently asked questions
What films have been made about Ronnie Kray?
Several films have depicted the Kray twins, most notably Legend (2015) and The Krays (1990). These dramatizations have shaped public perception of Ronnie and Reggie, sometimes blurring fact and fiction (HELLO! Magazine).
How did the Kray twins rise to power?
The twins built their reputation through street fighting and protection rackets, eventually controlling much of London’s East End underworld. Their arrest in 1968 and conviction in 1969 ended their reign (A&E).
What was the relationship between Ronnie and Reggie Kray?
The twins were inseparable for most of their lives, with Ronnie’s mental illness and Reggie’s calculated business sense creating a powerful but volatile partnership. Their conviction separated them, and Ronnie was moved to Broadmoor (The Telegraph).
Are there any surviving photographs of Ronnie Kray?
Yes. Ronnie and Reggie were photographed extensively, particularly by David Bailey in 1965, and these images remain widely reproduced in media about the twins (London Museum).
What happened to Reggie Kray after Ronnie’s death?
Reggie remained imprisoned after Ronnie died in 1995. He was released on compassionate grounds in August 2000 and died about eight weeks later (Wikipedia).
Why was Ronnie Kray sent to Broadmoor?
Ronnie was certified insane in 1979 and transferred to Broadmoor Hospital, a high-security psychiatric facility, due to his paranoid schizophrenia (A&E).
How old would the Krays be today?
Born on 24 October 1933, both twins would be 91 years old as of 2024, had they survived (Wikipedia).
These answers address the most common curiosities about Ronnie Kray’s life and death.
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Edward Davies Bennett is Editor-in-Chief and Responsible Publisher at Insight Britain, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and the corrections process.