Most people know Elton John as one of the greatest musicians in the world. They know his songs, his colorful glasses, and his big personality. But not everyone knows about the woman he once married — a quiet, private German woman named Renate Blauel.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Renate Ruth Margot Blauel |
| Date of Birth | 1956 (exact date not public) |
| Birthplace | Munich (some sources say Berlin), Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Profession | Sound Engineer, Tape Operator |
| Famous For | Being married to Elton John |
| Married | February 14, 1984 |
| Divorced | November 1988 |
| Children | None |
| Current Status | Living privately, away from the public eye |
Who Is Renate Blauel?
Renate Blauel is a German sound engineer. She was born in the 1950s in Germany. Before she became known as Elton John’s wife, she already had a good career in the music world. She worked as a tape operator and sound technician in big music studios in London.
Renate was not a celebrity. She was a hard-working professional behind the scenes. She helped record albums for some very well-known artists, including Paul McCartney, Marvin Gaye, Chris Rea, The Human League, Mike Oldfield, and The Michael Schenker Group. This shows that even before she married Elton John, she was respected in the music industry.
She was known as a quiet and serious person. While Elton John was loud, fun, and full of energy on stage, Renate was calm and focused. She had dreams of becoming a record producer one day.
How Did Renate Blauel Meet Elton John?
Renate met Elton John in early 1983 in London. At that time, Elton was finishing his album called “Too Low for Zero.” This album included famous songs like “I’m Still Standing” and “I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues.”
Renate was introduced to Elton while working on the album. The two quickly became close friends. They had a lot in common — most importantly, their love for music.
Later that same year, Elton John went to Australia for his “Too Low for Zero” tour. Renate traveled with him as part of his team. During this trip, their friendship grew stronger.
On February 10, 1984, while they were having dinner at an Indian restaurant in Australia, Elton John proposed to Renate. She said yes. The engagement was announced the next day.
The wedding happened just three days later, on Valentine’s Day — February 14, 1984.
The Wedding
The wedding took place at St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Darlinghurst, Sydney, Australia. It was a beautiful ceremony that got a lot of attention from the media all around the world.
Renate wore a white silk and lace wedding dress. She also wore a gold, heart-shaped necklace with 63 diamonds. Elton John also wore white. His coat reportedly cost around £1,000 at the time. He wore a striped silk shirt, a lavender bow tie, and a boater hat.
People were very surprised by this wedding. Before this, Elton John had publicly said in 1976 that he was bisexual. Many of his close friends believed he was gay. So the marriage shocked many fans and journalists.
Even Rod Stewart, one of Elton’s famous friends, sent a funny but honest congratulations message. He was clearly surprised by the news.
Their Marriage
Renate and Elton John were married for four years. During this time, they lived together and tried to build a normal life. Elton’s mother even gave them a baby stroller as a wedding gift, hoping the couple would have children. But Renate and Elton did not have children together.
Reports say that Renate tried to have children, but it was not possible for the couple. In his later memoir, Elton John said he did not really want children until he met his husband David Furnish.
Life inside the marriage was not easy. Elton John was still struggling with drug and alcohol problems during this time. He later said in interviews that he got married because he thought it would make him happy and change his life. He loved Renate as a person, but deep inside, he knew something was not right.
Elton also said in a 2008 interview that a person who is struggling with addiction sometimes makes choices that do not make sense. He said he loved Renate very much, but he was not being honest with himself or with her about who he really was.
The Divorce
In November 1988, Renate Blauel and Elton John divorced. It was reported as an amicable split, which means both sides agreed and there was no big fight. Renate said at the time that the two planned to stay best friends.
After the divorce, Elton John publicly came out as gay. This helped people understand more about why the marriage had ended.
Elton bought Renate a large country home in Surrey, England, as part of the divorce settlement. Reports said the settlement was worth between £5 million and £35 million, though exact numbers have never been confirmed. Renate lived in this home until around the year 2000. After that, she is believed to have returned to Germany to be close to her parents.
Life After the Divorce: Where Is Renate Now?
After the divorce, Renate Blauel completely disappeared from public life. She gave no interviews. She made no public statements. She had no confirmed social media accounts. She simply chose to live quietly and privately.
This was unusual. Many people who had been married to a huge star would try to use that fame. But Renate chose the opposite. She stayed away from cameras, reporters, and attention.
For many years, the world did not hear anything from her.
The Legal Case in 2020
In June 2020, Renate Blauel made headlines again — but not because she wanted to. She took legal action against Elton John.
The reason was that when Elton and Renate divorced in 1988, they made a private legal agreement. Part of this agreement said that neither of them would talk publicly about their marriage or the reasons for their divorce.
But in 2019, Elton John released his autobiography called “Me.” In this book, he wrote about his marriage to Renate. He also shared details about their relationship in his 2019 movie “Rocketman.” Renate felt that this broke their private agreement.
She filed a case at the High Court in London and asked for around £3 million in damages. She also asked the court to stop Elton from sharing any more private information about their marriage.
The case was later settled outside of court. Both sides released a joint statement saying the matter had been resolved in a way that respected Renate’s need for privacy. Elton John’s team also said that Renate had agreed he had treated her with dignity and respect in the 30 years since their divorce.
The exact amount Renate received has not been officially confirmed, but reports suggest it was between $6 million and $12 million.
Elton John’s Words About Renate
Over the years, Elton John has spoken about Renate with a lot of care and respect.
In 2008, he said in an interview that he truly loved her, and that hurting her is one of the things he regrets most in his life. He explained that his addiction made him think that getting married would fix his problems, but it did not.
In 2017, when Australia was voting on legalizing same-sex marriage, Elton John posted a message on social media. He wrote that many years ago he had chosen Australia for his wedding to a wonderful woman. He said he wanted more than anything to be a good husband, but he was not being honest with himself. He said this caused his wife sadness, and caused him a lot of guilt and regret.
These words show that Elton John has always thought of Renate with kindness and has never spoken badly about her.
Renate in the Movie Rocketman
In 2019, Elton John’s life story was made into a movie called “Rocketman.” Renate Blauel was one of the characters in the film. She was played by Dutch actress Celinde Schoenmaker, who was making her first appearance in a movie.
The film showed the story of Elton and Renate’s relationship. It is not known what Renate personally thought about the movie, as she has not made any public comments about it.
Renate’s Professional Career
It is important to remember that Renate Blauel was a professional before she married Elton John. She worked on many important music projects.
Some of the albums she worked on include “Tug of War” by Paul McCartney and “In Our Lifetime” by Marvin Gaye. She also worked on Elton John’s albums “Too Low for Zero” and “Breaking Hearts.”
Her work placed her in some of the best recording studios in London at a very exciting time for the music industry. She was talented and respected by other professionals.
Final Thoughts
Renate Blauel is a woman who lived through a very unusual experience. She married one of the most famous musicians in the world, lived through a difficult marriage, went through a quiet divorce, and then chose to completely step away from public life.
She never sold her story. She never gave interviews. She never tried to use her connection to Elton John for personal fame. Instead, she chose peace and privacy.
That choice says a lot about who she is as a person.
While Elton John became even more famous in the years after their marriage, Renate chose a different kind of life — one that was quiet, personal, and completely her own.
She may not be in the headlines often, but her story is a real and human one. It is a story about identity, courage, sadness, and eventually, peace.
Renate Blauel will always be a part of Elton John’s history. But more importantly, she is her own person with her own story — and that story deserves to be told with respect.Share
10 Frequently Asked Questions About Renate Blauel
1. Who is Renate Blauel? Renate Blauel is a German sound engineer and tape operator. She is most well known for being Elton John’s ex-wife. They were married from 1984 to 1988.
2. Where was Renate Blauel born? Renate was born in Germany. Some sources say Munich, others say Berlin. She grew up in Germany before moving to London to work in the music industry.
3. How did Renate Blauel meet Elton John? She met Elton John in 1983 while working on his album “Too Low for Zero” in London. They became close friends and later got engaged during his Australian tour.
4. When did Renate Blauel and Elton John get married? They got married on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1984, at St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Sydney, Australia.
5. Why did Renate Blauel and Elton John divorce? They divorced in 1988. Elton John later came out as gay. He has said that he was not honest with himself about his identity during the marriage, and this caused pain for both of them.
6. Do Renate Blauel and Elton John have children? No. The couple did not have children. Reports say they tried but were unable to conceive. Elton John later had two sons, Zachary and Elijah, with his husband David Furnish.
7. What did Renate Blauel receive after the divorce? Elton John bought her a country home in Surrey, England. The total divorce settlement was reported to be worth millions, though exact figures have never been officially confirmed.
8. Why did Renate Blauel sue Elton John in 2020? She sued him because she believed he broke their private divorce agreement by talking about their marriage in his 2019 memoir “Me” and in the movie “Rocketman.” The case was later settled out of court.
9. Where is Renate Blauel now? Renate lives a very private life and has stayed away from the public eye since her divorce. She is believed to have returned to Germany around 2000 to be close to her family. She has no public social media presence.
10. Is Renate Blauel still in contact with Elton John? After the divorce, the two went years without speaking. However, their joint statement in 2020 suggested they resolved their legal dispute in a respectful way. It is not known if they currently have any contact.
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