Elton John and David Furnish Through the Years: ‘We Fell in Love Very Quickly’

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Elton John and David Furnish Through the Years: 'We Fell in Love Very Quickly'

Sir Elton John and David Furnish have an everlasting love story after connecting right off the bat.

“He was very well dressed, very shy,” the “Rocketman” crooner told Parade in early 2010 of their first meeting in 1993. “We fell in love very quickly. He was independent. I didn't need to take care of him. I thought, 'God, this is new territory for me — someone wants to be with me just because he likes me.’”

After spending nearly a dozen years together, the pair made their relationship official in December 2005 shortly after same-sex civil partnerships were declared legal in England.

The twosome — who tied the knot in December 2014 — eventually expanded their family, welcoming sons Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John and Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John in 2010 and 2013, respectively.

John — who publicly came out as gay in 1996 — opened up about his journey and meeting the “love of [his] life” in an open letter to Zachary and Elijah.

“Looking back over the past 75 years, there is so much I am proud of, so much I have learned. As you are the two most precious parts of my life, I want to share some of those lessons with you,” the songwriter penned in a Time magazine essay in March 2022. “Being true to myself is what gave me my voice and helped me face my greatest fears. I’ve forged deep friendships, found the love of my life and became your Daddy. Whoever you grow up to be, just be you — fully and completely you.”

Scroll below for the pair’s complete relationship timeline:

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1993

Music superstar John met film director and producer Furnish at a dinner party. "He was very well dressed, very shy," John told Parade in early 2010. "We fell in love very quickly."

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2000s

"We've never been jealous," John told Furnish. "We talk about ... things that normally would have frightened me before."

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March 2001

They greeted Prince Charles at a bash.

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November 2003

The pair posed with their dog, Arthur. 

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February 2005

The duo met longtime pal and fellow AIDS activist Elizabeth Taylor. 

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December 2005

After more than a decade together, the pair wed on the first day that same-sex civil partnerships could be legally performed in the UK, at their home in Old Windsor.

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August 2008

John and Furnish kicked back in Saint Tropez.

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2009

How does the couple keep the love alive? "Every Saturday for 16 years, we've sent each other a card," John said at the time. "No matter where we are in the world, to say how much we love each other."

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December 2010

The spouses attended the 9th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's "An Enduring Vision" benefit in NYC in October, just two months before the Christmas Day birth of son Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John. Born via surrogate, their little boy weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces.

“For many years we have talked about fulfilling one of our greatest wishes by becoming parents," John exclusively told Us at the time. “And now this wish has been granted to us, we feel so blessed and lucky.”

The following month, John told Us that he “never felt anything” like holding Zachary for the first time, adding, “You’re so awestruck. What can you say? You take it in. The feeling, the joy, the warmth of his body, his breathing. I will never forget that experience ever.”

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January 2013

The pair welcomed son Elijah via surrogate.

“Both of us have longed to have children, but the reality that we now have two sons is almost unbelievable,” the couple gushed to Hello! magazine. “The birth of our second son completes our family in a most precious and perfect way. It is difficult to fully express how we are feeling at this time; we are just overwhelmed with happiness and excitement."

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December 2014

The pair wed at their Windsor, England, home.

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March 2017

They celebrated John’s 70th birthday with a star-studded bash in Los Angeles.

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2018

The pair stepped out at the Grammy Awards, several weeks after the “Tiny Dancer” performer announced his retirement.

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March 2019

“They know that daddy is famous but … when we are out in the summer and people are taking our photograph or asking for a photograph, they say, ‘Why do they want your photograph?’ And we always say, ‘Because people like my music,’” John told Us and other reporters at the time, while attending his annual Oscars bash with Furnish. “They know what Daddy does, but I never bring Elton home. I try to leave Elton on the stage. They’re quite grounded, as far as that goes. They love their daddy’s music, but they also like a lot of other people’s music.”

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November 2021

John earned a knighthood from the British royal family.

“The most magical morning accompanying Elton as he collected his Companion of Honour at Windsor Castle,” Furnish captioned an Instagram snap. “So richly deserved. Congratulations my darling, I’m so proud of you .”

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March 2022

“Sharing a moment of creation  To celebrate the creation of Elton Hercules John ,” Furnish wrote about his husband via Instagram. “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.” He added: “Happy 75th Birthday my darling  . I love you. Forever and ever .”

That same month, Furnish revealed that the couple’s kids were inheriting John’s musical interests. “They’ve obviously been exposed to a lot of music in their life,” he exclusively told Us at the 30th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party. “They both love music. All Elton and I try to do as parents is expose them to as many things as possible and encourage them to be open-minded and follow in life what they love and what they feel passionate about. That’s more important than anything. You can’t tell your kids what to do.”

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March 2023

The twosome walked the red carpet at John’s AIDS Foundation's 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party in March 2023 in Los Angeles.