'It's terrible to give kids a silver spoon': Elton John won't let sons Zachary and Elijah inherit his £200m fortune and wants to teach them the value of hard work

By Kate Thomas for MailOnline

Published: 20:27 EST, 1 March 2016 | Updated: 20:33 EST, 1 March 2016

He's accumulated an estimated £200million fortune over the course of his five decades in the music business.

But Sir Elton John has revealed he will only be giving a small portion of his hard-earned cash to sons Zachary, five, and Elijah, three, when they're older.

The 68-year-old singer and his husband David Furnish are keen to instill the value of hard work in their offspring and don't want them to take their lot in life for granted.

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'It ruins their life': Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish want their sons Zachary, five, and Elijah, three, to work for their own success and won't be giving them their full inheritance when they come of age 

'It ruins their life': Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish want their sons Zachary, five, and Elijah, three, to work for their own success and won't be giving them their full inheritance when they come of age 

He told the Daily Mirror: 'It's terrible to give kids a silver spoon. It ruins their life.

'You have to have some semblance of normality, some respect for money, some respect for work.'

The star grew up on a council estate in Pinner, Middlesex and wants his sons to have a taste of the same upbringing he had.

Earning their keep: Elton and David are keen to teach their children the value of hard work and encourage them to do chores around the house 

Earning their keep: Elton and David are keen to teach their children the value of hard work and encourage them to do chores around the house 

He explained: 'They have to do chores in the house – take their plates to be cleaned, help in the kitchen, tidy their rooms and help in the garden, and each time they do they get a little star to put on these charts they’ve made.'

Elton also backed fellow musician Sting's comments after he famously said he wouldn't be giving his kids a penny of his £180million fortune because their wealth would be like 'albatrosses round their necks'.

This isn't the first time Elton has stressed the importance of keeping his young sons grounded.

Making them work for it: Elton previously confessed he won't even let his sons buy brand new cars when they're older because he wants them to develop a 'sense of value'

Making them work for it: Elton previously confessed he won't even let his sons buy brand new cars when they're older because he wants them to develop a 'sense of value'

The Tiny Dancer hitmaker previously admitted that when his boys are old enough to drive, they will be paying for their cars - and they will be second hand ones to begin with.

Speaking on The First Time With… on BBC Radio 6, he explained: '[We] let them be whoever they are and just guide them and love them and tell them what’s right from wrong and don’t spoil them.

'I mean they’re spoilt enough as it is by living the way they do; but if they want a new car they’re going to have to pay for it, and they’re going to have the second hand car to start with - that’s what I had. They have to have a sense of value.’

Elton and David, 53, were legally married in December 2014 after entering into a civil partnership in 2005 and welcomed their sons via surrogate mother.

Happy families: Elton and David - who made their union official in December 2014 - welcomed their adorable sons via surrogate

Happy families: Elton and David - who made their union official in December 2014 - welcomed their adorable sons via surrogate

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