The day that civil partnerships became legal in England, was the very day that Sir Elton John and his longtime partner David Furnish decided to go ahead and celebrate their union.
“I was as happy as I could ever remember being,” Elton writes in his upcoming memoir. “And that was the moment my mother turned up, in character as a raving sociopath.”
Elton recalls the moment that his mother and stepfather arrived at his home, but would not get out of the car. He knew something was up.
“Despite various entreaties to come into the house, they just sat there, stony-faced,” writes John. “There, Mum announced she wouldn’t be joining the convoy of cars setting off for Windsor nor would she be coming to the private lunch afterwards.” Things quickly deteriorated from there. “Oh great,” John recalls thinking. “The most important day of my life and one of Mum’s moods appeared to be upon us.”
The tumultuous relationship between Elton and his mother was well-documented in Elton John's biopic Rocketman.
“She didn’t - couldn’t - spoil the day, of course. But, in fairness to Mum, she absolutely gave it her best shot,” writes John.
Aware that they were in full view of the world press, John says he remained on his best behavior, striving at all costs to avoid a public spat with his mother.
Farebrother, meanwhile, is said to have remained sour. “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.”
John recalls Sharon Osbourne approaching him after a frosty interaction with Farebrother. “I know she’s your mum,” Osbourne whispered in his ear, “but I want to kill her.”
