Elton John’s ex-wife demands £3 million payout after star wrote about marriage, children in autobiography

Elton John’s ex-wife Renate Blauel has demanded a massive payout after the Rocketman star shared shocking details of their marriage in his autobiography.

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Sir Elton John’s ex-wife is demanding £3 million ($A5.37 million) amid claims he broke the terms of their divorce deal.

Renate Blauel, 67, is suing after the star wrote about their four-year marriage in his recent autobiography, according to The Sun.

Blauel claims comments in the book, titled Me, broke the terms of an agreement they made when they split up in 1988 and triggered longstanding mental health problems for her, including depression.

Documents filed with the High Court in London outline Blauel’s grievances against her former husband.

Elton John and Renata Blauel on their wedding day in Sydney in 1984. Picture: Getty Images

Sources close to Sir Elton, 73, say he has had an amicable relationship with his ex, and that the memoir contains only positive reflections on their relationship, none of which are not already in the public domain.

John met the German recording engineer in 1983 while working on his album Too Low for Zero.

The pair married a year later in Sydney, but divorced in 1988.

John went on to release 13 more albums, and to marry a fellow Brit, David Furnish.

Elton John with his bride Renate at their wedding at St Mark's church in Darling Point, Sydney, in 1984. The couple agreed to never expose details of the relationship. Picture: Brisbane Sun

In one passage of the book, Sir Elton admitted regret at “breaking the heart” of Blauel.

Blauel previously sought an in­junction against the music legend, thought to be over the re­lease of 2019 film Rocketman., which is a musical biography of John and features Blauel as a minor character.

In court documents seen by The Sun as part of the $A5.4m legal claim against the singer, Blauel claimed the couple’s relationship was genuine and that they tried to have a baby but struggled to conceive together.

These claims contradict those made by John, who wrote in his memoir that he had never wanted children until he met David Furnish, 57, and they decided to start a family.

(L-R) Elton John and David Furnish. John said he never wanted kids until he met his husband. His ex-wife disagrees. Picture: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

John and Furnish have two sons, Elijah, and Zachary, born by a surrogate mother.

In the 20-page file, Blauel’s legal team stated that the allegation she and John had not wanted children “seriously misrepresented the nature of their relationship.”

“In fact, the Claimant [Blauel] and the Defendant did attempt to have children during their relationship but were unable to do so.”

(L-R) Singer and actress, Olivia Newton-John, and German recording engineer, Renate Blauel. Picture: Supplied

Olivia Newton-John at Elton John’s farewell tour. Picture: Instagram @bengibsonphoto

Blauel had asked John to remove the passage concerning having children from his book but claimed he refused.

In the court documents Blauel alleges John reneged on their agreement to not discuss details of their relationship publicly, and that the book and the film had triggered Blauel’s depression.

Lawyers for Blauel said her claims had been dismissed by John as trivial and that he had acted “dismissive and disingenuous”.

John’s legal team have filed papers dismissing Blauel’s claims.

Sir Elton John’s fortune is estimated to be worth approximately £390 million ($A697 million).

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Originally published as Elton John’s ex-wife demands £3 million payout after star wrote about marriage, children in autobiography