- Home
- News
Elton John is a famous singer, songwriter, LGBTQ+ rights advocate, and father of two. - by Rhys McKay
Out of all of the singers and musicians that come and go, only a select few will ever have the cultural impact that Elton John has had. Besides being dubbed by a ‘melodic genius’ by fans and music industry vets alike, John is also one of the top-selling artists of all time, a vocal advocate for HIV awareness and reduction, and a highly-valued composer. Oh, and he’s an undeniable style icon, too.
While we’re all understandably upset that John is retiring from music (he’s on the second leg of his final farewell tour now), we’re happy that the singer is going to have more time to spend with his family. In this blog, we’re going to be covering everything there is to know about Elton John, his children, and his spouse.
RELATED: Elton John defended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after they were criticised for flying private
Who Is Elton John?
Elton John, 75, is a prolific singer-songwriter, pianist, composer, and philanthropist. He is most famous for international hits such as “Your Song”, “Tiny Dancer”, “Rocket Man”, “Bennie and the Jets”, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”, “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word”, “Skyline Pigeon”, and the Princess Diana tribute song, “Candle in the Wind”. Six of his albums made Rolling Stone’s list of “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” in 2003.
John is also known for his advocacy work, especially for the LGBTQ+ community. In the ‘70s, John came out as bisexual in a Rolling Stone interview. In the ‘90s, after his divorce, he had settled into his identity as a gay man.
Following a few high-profile deaths during the AIDS crisis (including Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury), John established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992. Since then, he has raised over $USD 400-million through special concerts, projects, and his annual Oscars party.
Getty
Where Does Elton John Live?
Elton John has properties all over the world, including in the US and Europe. This includes an apartment in Atlanta, a Las Vegas residence, and a nice house in the south of France. However, there is only one place he calls ‘home’ – his estate in Windsor, England.
Who Are Elton John’s Parents?
Elton John’s real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He is the only child of his mother Sheila Eileen Dwight (maiden name Harris), but the eldest child of his father Stanley. Both of his parents were musically-inclined and supportive of his pursuits.
When John was 14, his parents divorced. His mother remarried, and John gained a step-father in a painter named Fred Farebrother.
Does Elton John Have Siblings?
The English singer has four half-brothers from his dad’s second marriage: Geoff, Simon, Stanley Jr, and Robert. According to interviews, Elton doesn’t have a great relationship with his half-siblings, but Geoff has since said, “There’s no ill feeling from me towards Elton. Far from it. I love him, but our paths have gone in different directions.”
Has Elton John Ever Been Married?
Elton John was engaged to his first girlfriend Linda Woodrow in the late 1960s, but the marriage never pulled through. After a 5-year romance (and his first gay relationship) with his manager, John Reid, Elton ended up marrying recording engineer Renate Blauel in 1984.
Plenty of people thought that the marriage was merely a cover-up for his sexuality, but John identified as bisexual at the time. John and his wife divorced in 1988; shortly after, the “Tiny Dancer” singer came out as gay.
A few years later, in 1993, John met David Furnish, a director. The two began what would become a decades-long relationship that still continues to this day. The pair became one of the first couples to get a civil partnership in 2005 after the UK Civil Partnership Act was passed. After same-sex marriage was legalised in England in 2014, the two legally became husband and husband on the ninth anniversary of their civil partnership.
Getty
Does Elton John Have Kids?
While Elton John and his husband don’t have any biological children together, they do have sons via a surrogate. It’s unclear if either Elton or David is the biological dad, but they used the same surrogate mother for both kids. To protect her identity, Furnish’s name is listed as the child’s mother on both of the kids’ birth certificates.
How Many Children Does Elton John Have?
Elton and David have two kids, ages 12 and 10: the elder Zachary Furnish-John and the younger Elijah Furnish-John. The singer has said that both he and his spouse love fatherhood and would have loved to have more children if they were 15 or 20 years younger. In an interview with Hello!, the musical icon shared, “I just never thought that fatherhood could bring me so much joy, and I came to fatherhood late in the day, but it’s been one of the miracles of my life.”
Elton John’s Children
Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John
Date of birth: December 25, 2010
Fun fact: Levon was the title of one of Elton John’s earlier singles.
Getty
Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John
Date of birth: January 11, 2013
Elton has a pattern with his children’s names! “Daniel” was a ballad on the singer’s 1973 album Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player. John was also featured on The Killers track entitled “Joseph, Better You Than Me”.
Getty
Conclusion
Elton John (and his children) are currently on a farewell tour. Although the singer is now retiring from music, his classic songs will continue to inspire people all over the world for years to come!
RELATED: Madonna Children: Meet The Kids Of The Queen Of Pop
- News
- Entertainment
- Celebrity Babies
- Celebrity Couples
- Celebrity
