News Sunday that Sir Elton John has now married his civil partner David Furnish. Sir Elton and David were among the first to have a civil partnership ceremony in the UK in 2005. Although the law changed earlier this year and same-sex marriages have been held, it was only this month that the arrangements have been in place for civil partners to convert their status into a full marriage.
When new legislation came into effect:
Sir Elton said at the time he was "very proud" of Britain for changing the law.
"Having our civil partnership was an incredible breakthrough for people that have campaigned for a long time - through the 60s and the 50s in England when it was so hard to be gay and hard to be open about it. And it was a criminal act.
"So for this legislation to come through is joyous, and we should celebrate it. We shouldn't just say, 'Oh, well we have a civil partnership. We're not going to bother to get married'. We will get married."
The conversion process is quite simple. From December 10, couples have been able to make appointments at the local register office (where birth, deaths, civil partnership and marriage records are generated.) Personal documentation and details of the partnership ceremony are required. Both then sign the declaration and become husband and husband or wife and wife immediately. This is currently free for those who became civil partners before June this year when the first marriages took place.
Couples have an option to have in addition a ceremony either at the register office or in "a place licenced to hold weddings and civil partnership ceremonies". Brighton Council has provided a couple of suggested ceremonies but as they are non-statutory couples are free to write their own vows. Often the locations are large hotels etc although more esoteric places like a pod in the London Eye or a car on the Emirates Air Line, (a cable car system) are available. Normally the declarations are signed and the licence issued after the rings are exchanged.
It looks like Sir Elton and David opted to simply sign at the register office and later held a separate ceremony at their large country house. (Probably for the same reason Charles and Camilla married at the same register office rather than in next door Windsor Castle. "A place's" licence requires them to host all weddings in the coming 6 months and therefore issued prices etc). From the pictures is looks like the ceremony was in the art gallery in the home, in front of a Damien Hurst installation. Their two young sons were alongside them. Unlike the lavish party they had after their civil partnership, there were a small number (around 50) of the glitterati who attended - people like the Beckhams. They decided not to sell the rights to cover the ceremony but instead shared it on social media and encouraged their guests to do the same.
The marriage throws up a nice little conundrum for the Queen's honors system. The female equivalent of a Knight, a Dame's husband does not receive an honorific title. The wife of a Knight however is a Lady - "Sir John Smith's" wife is Lady Smith. What then should the husband of a Knight be called bearing in mind the husband of a Dame would get the same title.
Sir Elton and David have been together for over twenty years. They have been civil partners for nine years. Now they are properly husband and husband. Their relationship puts other "show business" marriages to shame.