Pop megastar Elton John’s fraught relationship with his mother, Sheila, is well documented. But the star has revealed just how toxic it became, with shocking revelations in his upcoming autobiography, Me.
The star, who is known as much for his glasses as his endless string of classic hits, tells that his December 2005 civil union to long time love David Furnish was tarnished by the alleged antics of his mother, who evidently disapproved of the union. The singer even goes so far as to describe her behaviour as ‘sociopathic’.
WATCH: Elton John had a ‘toxic’ relationship with his mother
Elton, who has been plagued by feuds of his own, describes the events in searing detail in the much-awaited book.
‘I was as happy as I could ever remember being,’ Elton recalls of the big day. ‘And that was the moment my mother turned up, in character as a raving sociopath.’
Things got off to a horrible start when Sheila refused to leave the car upon arriving at his home. The star describes his mother as the ‘Cecil B. DeMille of bad moods, the Tolstoy of taking a huff’ and claims her antics had been an unpleasant feature of their entire relationship.
‘She didn’t — couldn’t — spoil the day, of course,’ he writes, in extracts appearing in the Daily Mail. ‘But, in fairness to Mum, she absolutely gave it her best shot.’
Things descended into farce when Elton’s mum allegedly talked loudly over her son as he was delivering his vows at the celebrity-studded ceremony.
‘When David and I exchanged our vows, she started talking very loudly, over the top of us, rattling on about how she didn’t like the venue and couldn’t imagine getting married in a place like this.
‘When the time came for the witnesses to sign the license, she signed her name, snapped: “It’s done, then,” slammed the pen down and stormed off.’
Mum then complained about her seating at the reception, moaning that she has been placed too far away from the wedding party.
Bringing forth witness and friend Sharon Osbourne, Elton recalls her of saying at the reception, ‘I know she’s your mum, but I want to kill her.’
The mother and son’s relationship degenerated significantly after the ceremony, with Elton cutting off contact for many years. Despite any reservations his mum may have had about Elton’s union, he remains married to David to this day, and the couple have two sons, Zachary, 8, and Elijah, 6.
Mother and son reconciled before her death – but it seems that nothing can take away the sad memories, or the lost time.