Elton John’s love life has been under the microscope for decades. Since first coming out as bisexual in a 1976 Rolling Stone cover story, the singer’s relationships have been a highly discussed topic.
Elton married sound technician Renate Blauel in 1984, however unfortunately their relationship didn’t last and the two later divorced in 1988. A few years passed and Elton met David Furnish, and well… the rest is history!
The Bennie and the Jets singer and the former advertising executive went on to spend the next 30 years together and have since welcomed two sons into their family via a surrogate.
But let’s trace back to the beginning.
WATCH NOW: Elton John gets caught red-handed with a D&G bag. Article continues after video,.
In 1993, David attended a dinner party at Elton’s mansion that was thrown by a mutual friend of theirs… from the get-go, the pair had a spark, and the day following the party, they went on their very first date.
Their date included takeout from Mr. Chow’s restaurant in Windsor, England, where Elton was living at the time.
Elton was instantly drawn in by David’s independent nature; “He had a real job, his own apartment, a car,” Elton revealed in an interview with Parade magazine.
“I didn’t need to take care of him. I thought, ‘God, this is new territory for me — someone wants to be with me just because he likes me.’ I knew he was the one because he is not afraid of me. He always tells me exactly what he thinks,” he added, reflecting on his first interaction with his husband.
When the couple first met, same-sex marriage was still illegal in the U.K., but this didn’t stop them from being together in any capacity they could.
David was building a strong career in filmmaking, including a 1997 documentary on his partner titled Elton John: Tantrums & Tiaras.
The two both had flourishing careers in the entertainment industry and they eventually became a power couple; while building their own union and a family together, they also were strong advocates for gay rights.
Elton first proposed to David in 2005 and though same-sex weddings were not yet legalised, civil partnerships for gay couples had newly been implemented.
On December 21, 2005, Elton and David became the first “registered” gay couple in the U.K. after they registered their civil partnership at Windsor Guildhall government services and municipal offices in London.
From here, the pair started to grow their family…
On Christmas Day 2010, Elton and David welcomed their first child, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish John, via a surrogate. Just over two years later, Zachary became an older brother after the happy couple expanded their family by welcoming a second son.
Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish John was welcomed into the world via the same surrogate on January 11, 2013.
Fast forward to 2014, same-sex marriage became legal in the U.K., allowing the singer and documentarian to get married, FOR REAL.
On December 21, 2014, which also marked the ninth anniversary of their civil partnership, the two said “I do” at a small ceremony at their Windsor estate in Berkshire.
Though very young at the time, both Zachary and Elijah were part of the wedding, serving as the ring bearers.
“If you’d had said to me 10 years ago I’d be sitting on your show married to the man I love and have two beautiful children I would have said, ‘You put acid in my drink.’ But life throws you challenges and life throws you curveballs — great curveballs,” Elton said in an appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show in 2016.
The boys have grown up a lot since then; Zachary is now 13, Elijah is now 11, and the happy couple are loving every second of their lives with their two boys.
Despite having a love spanning over 30 years, Elton and David recently entered a new chapter after Elton officially retired from touring back in July 2023.
“Finally off the road and into the sunset. So excited for the next chapter together,” he wrote in an Instagram post at the time.
Elton has been enjoying being able to spend more time with his husband and their two sons.
