Elton John’s ex-wife launches legal action against singer

Elton John’s ex-wife Renate Blauel has launched legal action against the singer in London’s High Court.

Blauel, a German sound engineer, filed papers last week to seek an injunction against the Tiny Dancer singer, who she was married to from 1984 to 1988.

It is currently unclear what brought about the legal action but Billboard reports that “such cases are typically grounded in privacy matters or to prevent the publication of personal materials.”

Blauel’s lawyer told the BBC that she “hopes to resolve the matter privately and amicably.” The outlet also reports that John is named as the defendant in the legal filings.

John and Blauel divorced in 1988, and he eventually went on to marry David Furnish.

John’s ex-wife declined to discuss her relationship publicly after the divorce and has kept a low profile.

In his autobiography, Me, the Levon singer mentions that Blauel never spoke to the press about their time together.

“For years afterwards, whenever something happened to me, the press would turn up on her doorstep, looking for her to dish the dirt” John wrote in his autobiography. “And she never, ever has: She just told them to leave her alone.”

He also reflected on their failed marriage in his 2019 autobiography.

“It was the right thing to do, but it was a horrible feeling,” he wrote. “I’d broken the heart of someone I loved and who loved me unconditionally, someone I couldn’t fault in any way.“

He continued, “She could have taken me to the cleaners, and I wouldn’t have blamed her: everything that had gone wrong was down to me and me alone. But Renate was too dignified and too decent for that.”

John mentioned his marriage to Blauel in an Instagram post from 2017 while he was touring in Australia.

“I’m so excited to be back in Australia for a series of shows,” he captained a photo from his 2014 wedding to Furnish.

“Many years ago, I chose Australia for my wedding to a wonderful woman for whom I have so much love and admiration. I wanted more than anything to be a good husband, but I denied who I really was, which caused my wife sadness, and caused me huge guilt and regret.

“To be worthy of someone’s love, you have to be brave enough and clear eyed enough to be honest with yourself and your partner. Almost 24 years ago, I met the person with whom I could be fully myself. When we married in 2014, it felt like that fact was accepted by the world,” he continued.

“For David and I, being able to openly love and commit to one another, and for that to be recognized and celebrated is what makes life truly worth living.”

“That acceptance and support makes us want to be as kind, responsible and productive members of society, as well as the best parents, that we can be. I love Australia. I love its spirit, its lack of pretense, its passion. I hope it can embrace the honesty and courage that seeks gay marriage as an expression not of desire but of love. #loveislove #marriageequality @davidfurnish,” he concluded.

John has not commented on the legal filing as of this writing.