Portrait of a perfect marriage: 11 years after Elton proposed to David, the intimate story of their loving relationship - in their own words 

Eleven years ago this month, Sir Elton John proposed to his partner, David Furnish, thus formalising a relationship that — as the whole world knows — has blossomed into one of the most blissfully happy of showbusiness marriages.

We know this, of course, because Sir Elton and David have been generous enough to share almost every detail of their relationship and family life through the pages of celebrity magazines, in high-profile TV interviews and on social media.

Whether it has been to share pictures of their star-packed wedding, to announce the arrival of their two children born by a surrogate mother — even revealing they had her breast milk delivered to them by FedEx — or repeatedly posing for happy family snaps, they have revealed the most intimate moments of their perfect family life.

And if, by so doing, they have also been promoting their own profiles, their latest professional projects, or their charity work, then who are cynics to quibble about the couple invading their own privacy?

Truly, they come across as a wonderfully loving couple.

So here, to help celebrate that 11th anniversary, we tell the story of their relationship in their own words, as taken from some of the many interviews they have given over the years.

Dazzling duo.

It’s five months after they got together and the smiles on their faces say it all at Sir Elton John’s AIDS Foundation party after the Oscars in LA in February 1994.

Elton told U.S. Parade magazine of their first meeting back in October 1993 that he was ‘instantly’ attracted to David.

‘The next night we had dinner. After it, we consummated our relationship. We fell in love quickly.’

Filmmaker David points his lens at his favourite subject for his 1997 documentary about Sir Elton, Tantrums & Tiaras, which was screened on British TV.

We’re invited through the keyhole into the library, though it’s no surprise that Sir Elton has a gold sofa. 

Among some famously bad-tempered scenes, Elton is shown trembling with indignation after a fellow guest had shouted ‘yoo-hoo!’ while he was on the tennis court at an Antibes hotel.

Furnish later told the Guardian of Elton at the time: ‘The tantrums, the insecurity and the unreasonable behaviour we saw in Tantrums & Tiaras... that’s pretty much faded away.’

Cover stars. 

An interview in 2001 with the London Evening Standard’s ES Magazine, and David Furnish talked happily on ‘what it’s really like dating Elton John’. 

The photo showed David in gold brocade and matching highlights, and Elton resplendent in turquoise.

Elton would later tell U.S. Parade magazine how the couple keep their relationship strong.

‘Every Saturday for 16 years, we’ve sent each other a card, no matter where we are in the world, to say how much we love each other.’

In the pink. 

Now they’re engaged to be married! Sir Elton and David attend a party at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2005, around the time of Elton’s romantic proposal.

Speaking about the forthcoming civil ceremony, Sir Elton said: ‘I would like to place my life in my hands with a wedding vow. I have never been so happy.’

David said: ‘I’ve always considered myself committed to Elton and he’s the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with.’

The civil partnership ceremony.

Even their uncharacteristically sober attire cannot take away the glow of happiness on their faces following their civil partnership ceremony at the Guildhall, Windsor, Berkshire, on 21 December 2005.

It’s a small affair. Before it, Elton told Attitude magazine: ‘The ceremony itself will be David’s parents and my parents and the two of us. They’ll be our witnesses . . .

‘Out of respect for their support, we want to just keep it small. Not to make a ballyhoo.’

It's a baby! 

Their son, Zachary, is born in December 2010, to a surrogate mother. In a joint statement, the besotted parents say: ‘We are overwhelmed with happiness and joy at this very special moment.’

The following month, unable to contain their joy, the happy couple pose with their baby boy and do an ‘at home’ interview with OK! magazine. 

‘Fatherhood is fantastic,’ said Sir Elton. ‘It’s been the most wonderful thing that’s happened to me after meeting David.’

Making friends on the beach.

An unidentified acquaintance takes a picture of David holding baby Zachary in Hawaii in February 2011. 

But it is David’s shorts, on this occasion, that steal the show.

Who needs a mummy? 

In a highly publicised television interview with American broadcasting legend Barbara Walters, in April 2011, Elton and Furnish don luxury dressing gowns.

In a full and frank interview, the couple share the intimate moment of feeding time. 

Elton reveals that he is feeding his son with the surrogate mother’s breast milk. 

He tells Ms Walters: ‘[Zachary’s biological mother] has been providing him with breast milk. 

'We have the breast milk FedExed from where she is.’

Baby Elijah arrives — and a birth notice is duly placed in Hello! magazine!

The couple’s second son is born in January 2013 and, again, the couple can’t contain their happiness.

This time it’s the upmarket society gossip magazine which is invited into the home of Elton and David to hear about the joys of fatherhood second time around.

The couple said the arrival of their second son, born in Las Vegas, ‘completes our family in a most precious and perfect way’.

Elton added: ‘I have learned that a parent’s capacity for love is endless. When another child is born, our depth of love just grows deeper and wider.’

Married at last! 

In December 2014, following the legalisation of gay marriage, the couple wed at their home at Old Windsor and Elton cuts the cake.

Before the big day, Furnish told Attitude magazine: ‘As a high-profile couple, we feel it is our duty to do it to make sure that everyone knows this is something that many gay men living in this country never dreamed would happen.’

Always thinking of their fans, before the ceremony, they post a message on Sir Elton’s Instagram site.

It reads: ‘Sir Elton John and David Furnish request the pleasure of your company to celebrate their wedding on Sunday the 21st of December.’ 

Not literally turn up, mind you — just share the joy.

The perfect family holiday. 

Dad and Dad take their toddler and baby son on holiday to St Tropez in the South of France in August 2013.

It’s all about family now. A nice quiet existence. 

‘Having children changed everything about my life,’ Sir Elton told the Mirror. ‘I’ve learned that the simplest things in life, like having a minute with them, are worth more than any painting, any photograph, any house or hit record.’

Determined to be hands-on parents, Furnish told a U.S. magazine: ‘We don’t want to put the raising of children into the hands of nannies and housekeepers. We want to be active parents.’

Domestic bliss. 

The happy family pose on an ornate bed — doubtless one of many — in September 2014 at the singer’s Windsor home during his ‘End of Summer’ party to benefit his Aids Foundation.

But it’s not all gold beds and trimmings. 

As Elton told BBC Radio 6 of their sons: ‘They have to do chores in the house — take their plates to be cleaned, help in the kitchen and tidy their rooms.’

It's Father’s Day! 

Sir Elton posted this picture on his Instagram site last June to celebrate. ‘Happy Father’s Day!! I have never felt so blessed in all my life.’

As the singer told U.S. chat show host Ellen Degeneres earlier this year: ‘If you’d said to me ten years ago I’d be sitting on your show married to the man I love and have two beautiful children, I would have said you put acid in my drink.’

What a loving and lovely family they are.