Royal Wedding Snub: Elton John's Absence Explained

Elton John was not invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. He was, however, invited to perform at the lunchtime reception following Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding ceremony. John was a close friend of Harry's mother, Princess Diana, and had also attended Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011.

Elton John and David Furnish were not close with William and Harry

Elton John and David Furnish were not close friends with Prince William and Prince Harry, despite John's friendship with their mother, Princess Diana. John and Furnish had only met the princes twice, once with their mother for lunch at Kensington Palace. John and Furnish did not expect to be invited to the royal wedding and were not surprised when they did not receive an invitation. They acknowledged that William and Harry had their own circle of friends and did not expect to be included.

John and Furnish's lack of closeness with William and Harry was further highlighted by their absence from the guest list for the royal wedding. While John had attended Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, he did not receive an invitation to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018. This fuelled speculation about the nature of John and Furnish's relationship with the royal family, particularly William and Harry.

John's connection to the royal family was primarily through his friendship with Princess Diana. He was a good friend of hers and famously performed "Candle in the Wind" at her funeral in 1997. This connection may have led to assumptions that he was close with her sons as well, but John himself acknowledged that their relationship with Diana did not extend to her children.

David Furnish, John's husband, reinforced this by stating that they were not actually close to William and Harry. He attributed their lack of closeness to the fact that they had been closer to Diana and had not developed a similar bond with her sons. Furnish's comments provide further insight into the dynamics between John, Furnish, and the princes, indicating that their relationships were separate from each other.

While John and Furnish's absence from the royal wedding guest list may have been surprising to some, their own comments about their relationship with William and Harry shed light on the situation. Ultimately, their lack of closeness with the princes was a factor in not receiving an invitation, and they respected the princes' circle of friends and family who were invited to share in the special day.

Elton John was friends with Princess Diana

Elton John was a close friend of Princess Diana and even performed at her funeral in 1997, singing his iconic song, 'Candle in the Wind'. He also attended Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011. John has been open about his friendship with Princess Diana and her sons, William and Harry. In an interview, he mentioned that he and his husband, David Furnish, had only met William and Harry twice, once with their mother, Princess Diana, for lunch at Kensington Palace. Despite this, John did not expect to be invited to William and Kate's wedding, acknowledging that the princes had their own circle of friends.

John's friendship with Princess Diana was so well-known that there was speculation he would perform at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018. However, John revealed in an interview with BBC Radio 2 that he had not received an invitation. He joked that he lived close enough to the wedding venue that he could "roll down there". John's absence from the guest list sparked some surprise, given his longstanding connection to the royal family through his friendship with Princess Diana.

Elton John's friendship with Princess Diana left a lasting impact on him. After her tragic death in 1997, he honoured her memory by performing "Candle in the Wind" at her funeral. This performance became a poignant tribute and a heartfelt expression of the love and grief felt by those closest to her. John's attendance at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011 further highlighted his enduring connection to the royal family, even in the absence of Princess Diana.

The friendship between Elton John and Princess Diana extended beyond their personal relationship. John was also a source of support and guidance for Prince Harry. In 2017, John and Harry crossed paths in Sicily, where they had a conversation about Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle. This interaction demonstrated the level of trust and confidence that existed between them, indicating that John was not just a friend to Princess Diana but also a trusted confidant of her sons.

Elton John's friendship with Princess Diana was not only significant during her lifetime but also had a lasting impact on her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. While John may not have been as close to William and Harry as he was to their mother, his presence at important events, such as William's wedding, showed that he remained connected to the family. John's friendship with Princess Diana left a lasting impression, and his relationship with her sons continued to evolve, even after her tragic death.

Elton John joked about other performers at the wedding

Elton John has joked about other performers at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In an interview with BBC Radio 2, John, who lives in Windsor, England, confirmed that he had not received an invitation to the royal wedding. When asked if he would be performing at the wedding, John joked that he would probably be joining the Spice Girls, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar on stage. He added that the Spice Girls were a huge act that no one could beat.

John's comments about the Spice Girls were in response to Mel B's claim that the group would be attending and performing at the wedding. John's joke about the other performers highlighted the uncertainty around his invitation to the wedding and his potential performance. He also mentioned that he had not received an invitation yet, but that even if he didn't get one, he could still enjoy the festivities from a distance. John's home in Windsor is located just a short drive away from St. George's Chapel, where the wedding took place.

John's relationship with the royal family and his previous performances at royal weddings added to the speculation. He was a good friend of Harry's mother, Princess Diana, and sang at her funeral in 1997. He had also attended the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011. Despite the speculation, it was later confirmed that John did not perform at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Elton John's proximity to the wedding venue

Elton John's home in Windsor, England, is just a short drive away from St. George's Chapel, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot on May 19, 2018. John's proximity to the wedding venue is highlighted by his comment, "I live on a hill, so I could just roll down there... It's rolling distance." This proximity sparked speculation about whether John would be invited to the royal wedding, with some reports initially suggesting he would be in attendance and potentially performing. However, John himself revealed that he had not received an invitation, adding a lighthearted comment about being able to roll down the hill to the venue.

Elton John's touring schedule

Following his announcement, John embarked on his farewell tour, the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, which began in Allentown, Pennsylvania, on September 8, 2018. This tour was expected to conclude in 2021 but was postponed to 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a hip injury sustained by John. The tour spanned five years, breaking records and solidifying John's status as one of the most celebrated artists across generations.

The tour included extensive legs in North America, Europe, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, with additional dates in Lille, Paris, Bordeaux, Nîmes, and Stockholm. John's final show in the UK was headlining the Glastonbury Festival in 2023, with a record-breaking number of viewers. The tour concluded in Stockholm, Sweden, on July 8, 2023, after 330 concerts worldwide.

Throughout his career, John has tirelessly toured the globe, playing almost 4,600 shows in 80 countries. His touring schedule has been a significant aspect of his remarkable musical journey.

Frequently asked questions