エルトン・ジョン、シヴィル・パートナーシップ法施行初日の12月21日に「結婚」へ

Elton John to wed partner in December
Thu Nov 24, 2005 10:17 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - British pop star Elton John plans to marry his long term partner David Furnish on December 21, the first day that civil partnerships between gay couples will be possible in England.

In an interview in Attitude magazine, which hits the newstands on Friday, John said the ceremony would be a small, private affair involving only himself and Furnish and their parents acting as witnesses.

"Out of respect for their (our parents') support, we want to just keep it small -- not to make a ballyhoo of the ceremony," he told the gay lifestyle magazine.

"There will be a party somewhere, but the day will be very low key and we'll take our parents to lunch afterwards."

The Civil Partnership Act allows British same-sex couples to effectively marry when it comes into force on December 5.

Couples who want to wed under the act must post a notification at a registry office first, meaning that the first such ceremonies in England will take place on December 21.

Attitude magazine said in a statement on Thursday that John and Furnish, who have been together for around 12 years, intended to marry on December 21. John's publicist, Gary Farrow, said December 21 was the "probable" date for the ceremony.

John added: "I haven't thought so much about the emotional side of it yet, but I'm sure this is going to be an incredibly emotional day."

The 58-year-old singer, one of the most successful solo artists in pop history with classics including "Your Song" and "Candle in the Wind," previously married Renate Blauel in 1984 but they divored four years later.

Canadian-born Furnish, 43, welcomed the legislation.

"It is one of the defining issues of our times. And I applaud Britain for embracing the diversity of our society," he said.

John's publicist said earlier this year that one of the main reasons John and Furnish wanted to formalise their relationship was financial, with civil partnerships giving partners tax breaks available to married couples.

エルトン・ジョンさん、長年のパートナーと12月21日に結婚2005年 11月 25日 金曜日 13:51 JST

　［ロンドン　２４日　ロイター］　英歌手エルトン・ジョンさんが、長年のパートナーであるデービッド・ファーニッシュさんと１２月２１日に結婚する予定であることが分かった。同日は英国で同性カップルの結婚式を行うことが可能となる最初の日。

　２５日発売の英アティテュード誌が報じた。

　ジョンさんは同誌とのインタビューで、結婚式はジョンさん本人とファーニッシュさんのほか双方の両親が出席するごく内輪のものになるとし、「（両親の）サポートに敬意を表し、式はおおげさなものではなくこじんまりしたものにしたいと思っている」と語った。

　また、「どこかでパーティーをするだろうが、ごく控えめなものになるだろう。その後両親らをランチに連れて行くつもりだ」と述べた。

　同性カップルの婚姻を認める英国のシビル・パートナーシップ法は１２月５日に施行される。同法に基づき結婚を望むカップルはまず婚姻関係を登録する必要があるため、英国で最初に同性カップルの結婚式が行えるのは２１日となる。