David Furnish has wished his spouse, Sir Elton John, a happy 75th birthday saying he is a “spectacular husband and a deeply devoted father”.
Sir Elton celebrates the milestone birthday on March 25 ahead of the Oscars this weekend, which also marks the 30th annual Elton John Aids Foundation viewing party for the Academy Awards.
Furnish, who is the foundation chairman and who will host this weekend’s event, wrote on Instagram: “Sharing a moment of creation. To celebrate the creation of Elton Hercules John. 75 years ago today he arrived on this planet. And he’s been rocking and rolling ever since.
“I can’t begin to imagine my life or a world, without this glorious, loving, kind, caring, beautiful man. A spectacular husband and a deeply devoted father. Happy 75th Birthday my darling. I love you. Forever and ever.”
In December 2014, Sir Elton married Furnish, nine years after their civil partnership ceremony and they have two sons named Zachary and Elijah.
A host of other celebrities have also congratulated Sir Elton, with singer Lulu saying in a post on Instagram: “another birthday and another opportunity for the world to celebrate you and show gratitude for having you in our lives.”
She and Sir Elton recorded the duet Teardrops which featured on her 2002 album Together.
Sir Elton said he is determined to keep “giving back to the industry that has given me so much” as he turns 75 and will also be releasing the album Diamonds: The Ultimate Greatest Hits on streaming platforms mixed in Dolby Atmos for the first time.
He said: “I’m not usually one to look back or get nostalgic, but 75 is such a milestone birthday.
“I’ll definitely find time today to take stock and thank my lucky stars for my wonderful family, friends and career.
“I feel unbelievably lucky that at 75 I still love what I do so much – I’m still so energised about music and excited I get to play, listen and talk about this every single day.
“Being back on the road is a blast and the thrill of playing live is as amazing as it was 50 years ago.
“I have so much to pass on to the new generation of fans and artists alike, and I’m determined to keep giving back to the industry that has given me so much.”
Happy birthday to our dear friend, the inimitable Elton John!
Sending you all our love and best wishes for a terrific year. 🚀🎶 pic.twitter.com/1vU4I3i43g
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) March 25, 2022
Former world number one women’s tennis player Billie Jean King tweeted: “Happy birthday to our dear friend, the inimitable Elton John! Sending you all our love and best wishes for a terrific year”.
Happy birthday, @eltonofficial! 🥳
We can't wait to welcome you back to The Vic this summer for the #EltonFarewellTour. 🚀🎶#Elton75 | @SuitDirect pic.twitter.com/mxdsVGXofq
— Watford Football Club (@WatfordFC) March 25, 2022
Watford Football Club, where Sir Elton serves as honorary life-president after becoming chairman in 1976, tweeted: “Happy birthday, @eltonofficial! We can’t wait to welcome you back to The Vic this summer for the #EltonFarewellTour.”
Sir Elton is due to hold two special homecoming shows at Vicarage Road, the home of the Premiere League club, as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
Sir Elton, who was knighted for services to music and charity in 1998, has sold more than 300 million records worldwide during a pop career spanning more than five decades.
Hits across the years include Rocket Man, I’m Still Standing and Blue Eyes, with Sir Elton notching up his first UK number one single in 16 years last month with Cold Heart, a collaboration with Dua Lipa.
He also reworked another of his hits, Candle In The Wind, which he performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, who was a fan and a close friend, both sharing a passion for raising awareness of Aids.
The singer’s emotional performance of a song originally written in memory of Marilyn Monroe was one of the most memorable moments of the service at Westminster Abbey, tapping into the nation’s grief, and the single went on to sell 33 million copies around the world.
Sir Elton has a long history with the royal family. In recent years, he has worked with Prince Harry on Aids causes continuing Diana’s legacy, and he was a guest when Prince William married Kate.
He also performed at the lunchtime reception when Harry tied the knot with Meghan.
In November last year, Sir Elton was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour by the Prince of Wales during a Windsor Castle investiture ceremony.
The musician has also dedicated much of his life to charity, including his Elton John Aids Foundation which he launched in 1992 after “losing many friends and loved ones to the Aids epidemic”, according to his website.
In 2007, The Elton John Charitable Trust was set up to allow Sir Elton and Furnish to make charitable contributions outside the world of HIV/Aids, which has supported more than 100 charities across a multitude of causes.
He also supports students at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in 2002, through the Elton John Scholarship Fund.
Similarly, the Elton John Sports Fund supports Britain’s brightest prospects from more than 50 sports by providing annual awards of £2,000 to help with essential training and competition costs, in partnership with SportsAid.
Sir Elton raised more than £300,000 for the fund at a concert at Stoke Park in Buckinghamshire on June 28, 2014.
At the 2020 Oscars ceremony, Sir Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin scooped the best original song Academy Award for (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again, which featured in Sir Elton’s biopic Rocketman.
The film, produced by Furnish and starring actor Taron Egerton, saw Sir Elton’s life and career depicted on the big screen.
It was Sir Elton’s second Oscar, after he won in 1995 for his work on the Lion King soundtrack.
He has been touring widely as part of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.