Elton John’s mother Sheila allegedly tried to ruin his civil ceremony to David Furnish by acting like a “raving sociopath”.
The 72-year-old musician and David were among the first couples to form a civil partnership in the U.K. when the union was legalised in 2005, but the star has recalled his late mother Sheila’s disruptive behaviour at the ceremony in his new memoir Me: Elton John, claiming she spoke loudly during the vows, snubbed the private lunch and was rude to guests at the party.
In excerpts obtained by Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, he wrote of the big day: “I was as happy as I could ever remember being. And that was the moment my mother turned up, in character as a raving sociopath.
“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 licence, she signed her name, snapped: ‘It’s done, then,’ slammed the pen down and stormed off. At the party in the evening, she tutted and groaned and rolled her eyes during the speeches.”
The Rocket Man star added that Sheila was so “vile” to the guests, recalling: “At one point, Sharon Osbourne sidled up to me. ‘I know she’s your mother,’ she muttered, ‘but I want to kill her.'”
Elton explained he later found out from his in-laws that she didn’t approve of two men “getting married”, but insisted his mum was nothing but supportive when he came out as gay.
Sheila died in 2017 at the age of 92, with the singer telling fans: “I am in shock. Travel safe, mum. Thank you for everything.”