Elton John to marry David Furnish in May

Elton John has announced that he is to marry his partner David Furnish after a change in the law in England and Wales to allow same-gender weddings for the first time.

Elton John told Today Show: “We’ll do it very quietly. But we will do it and it will be a joyous occasion.”

David Furnish also told the Las Vegas Review-Journal the ceremony would take place in an English register office in May.

Elton John and David Furnish have been in a civil partnership since 2005 but the law changed on Saturday to allow marriage.

Elton John is to marry his partner David Furnish in May

“I’m very proud of Britain and the laws that we’ve seen come into existence since we’ve been together,” Elton John said.

“Having our civil partnership was an incredible breakthrough for people that have campaigned for a long time – through the ’60s and the ’50s in England when it was so hard to be gay and hard to be open about it. And it was a criminal act.

“So for this legislation to come through is joyous, and we should celebrate it. We shouldn’t just say, <<Oh, well we have a civil partnership. We’re not going to bother to get married>>. We will get married.”

David Furnish added: “We don’t feel the need to take an extra step legally. But since we’re committed for life, we feel it’s really important to take that step, and take advantage of that amazing change in legislation. We all live by example.”

Sir Elton John and David Furnish have two sons together – Zachary, born in 2010, and Elijah, born in 2013.