Sir Elton John, 76, raises his two sons not to be spoiled as they already do chores for some pocket money

David Furnish, Sir Elton John’s spouse, and they have been together for more than 20 years. The couple is also raising their two boys, Zackary and Elijah, to be modest and aware of the worth of money.

Famed artist Sir Elton John has released thirty-two albums to far and shows no signs of slowing down. Even at seventy-three, the vocalist continues to be in high demand.

Sir Elton John and David Furnish in London in 2001 | Source: Getty Images

David Furnish and Sir Elton John in London in 2001 | Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Despite having a successful career for more than thirty years, the musician wants to concentrate on other areas of his life, such as his marriage to David Furnish and his two sons, Zachary and Elijah.

A brief romance blossomed between John and Furnish in 1993, before their lives got consumed with parenting their sons. The singer of “Sacrifice” announced that he had moved back into his Windsor home and was looking to socialize.

John then requested a friend to invite Furnish and other individuals to dinner, saying he felt an immediate connection with Furnish. John admired how well-groomed and reserved he was.

After going on a date the next day, the two’s long-term relationship officially started. After nine years of being in a civil partnership, they made the decision to tie the knot in 2014.

The pair used Instagram to send out invites. The highlight of the day was spending time with their sons, who had the important duty of serving as ring carriers.

Furnish and John found great joy in sharing their partnership with their children, particularly considering the difficult road they had to go to become parents. It all began in 2009 when they were acquainted at an HIV orphanage with a young boy from Ukraine named Lev.

Lev came from a shattered family, so the couple wanted to help him, but the government wouldn’t let it because he was too old. Still, the couple assisted Lev and spoke with him.

John came to the realization that he may be a father after meeting Lev. He acknowledged that he had always believed he was too old to have children. Zachary, their first son, was born in 2010 through a surrogate, and Elijah followed in 2013.

Bringing Up Children Outside of the Media
The couple desired to be actively involved with their children while leading a hectic lifestyle. “We don’t want to entrust housekeepers and nannies with raising our kids,” Furnish stated. The couple decided that having boys was the best course of action, and now their primary objective is to raise their sons in a happy and healthy environment.

John expressed to his sons in a touching letter how much they had altered his life. “You two are the best gifts I have ever received, Zachary and Elijah. In ways I never imagined imaginable, you have given my life meaning and purpose and filled my heart with love,” the singer added.

Furnish and John are content with the lovely family they have created. The love and support their children will always have from their parents is something they do not want them to forget as they grow older.

John talked candidly about how becoming a parent has altered his outlook on life and some of the values he and his spouse want their kids to grow up with.

John talked about how having children affected his attitude toward money. Having two children of his own now, he values his time with Zachary and Elijah more than a popular song or artwork.

The singer acknowledged that because he and Furnish were used to living as the center of attention, they had spent a lot of money before having children. However, John claimed that since their sons arrived, they had drastically cut back on their spending.

The couple’s current concern is ensuring that they own only what they require. Additionally, the couple has been instilling in their kids the importance of money and the labor required to acquire it.

Although John is aware that his kids have a privileged existence already, he still wishes they had humility. The artist has stated that he does not intend to leave them his whole estate as a result. Rather, he aims to strike a balance between providing his kids with a wonderful life and keeping them grounded. He thought to himself:

Naturally, I would like to leave my boys in a very secure financial situation. But giving children a silver spoon is a poor idea. Their lives is ruined by it.

John has attempted to instill in the boys an appreciation for money since they were young children. Zachary and Elijah may not have realized how well-known their parents were at the age of five and three, but John and Furnish did teach them a valuable lesson about budgeting.

The singer said in 2016 that doing chores around the house, such the kitchen or garden, would earn them £3 ($3.74) in pocket money. Each coin would then be divided between savings, spending, and charity. As they grew older, their responsibilities included tidying their rooms, and they received stars for each task completed.

Although the couple is aware that their children would not have a typical childhood, they nevertheless make an effort to give their lives some degree of normalcy. According to John, his children are “not stuck behind the gates of a mansion,” but rather live like locals.

When questioned if he was afraid of having his kids in the spotlight, he replied that he knew there would be drawbacks but that he didn’t mind at all because he thought people were “brilliant” and “not hostile,” especially when they wanted to see pictures of him and his family.

The musician and his spouse would take their kids to the movies or out for pizza because they want them to spend quality time with their family somewhere else than their mansion.

Because of his celebrity, John does not want to miss out on special times with his kids. The musician is also prompt in picking up and dropping off his youngsters at school.

Elton John Flaunts His Offspring
The “Rocket Man” singer posted a unique picture of Furnish, their sons, and their godmother, Lady Gaga, on social media, while John and his spouse typically don’t post any pictures of their sons online. The musician conveyed his love despite expressing his regret at missing the opportunity to picture with them.

Comment on Elton John's page | Source: Instagram/eltonjohn

On Elton John’s page, leave a remark | Source: Instagram/eltonjohn
Fans expressed disbelief at Zachary and Elijah’s growth in the comment section. “However, the boys are growing quite tall.” Very attractive tiny fellas, a commenter commented. Another admirer exclaimed, “Look at these gorgeous boys and their pappa and Godma!”

John expressed to his sons in a touching letter how much they had altered his life. “You two are the best gifts I have ever received, Zachary and Elijah. In ways I never imagined imaginable, you have given my life meaning and purpose and filled my heart with love,” the singer added.

Furnish and John are content with the lovely family they have created. The love and support their children will always have from their parents is something they do not want them to forget as they grow older.

10 Little-Known Mistakes in Pretty Woman That Will Blow Your Mind

Pretty Woman is one of those movies I can watch over and over — it never gets old or boring.

But considering how many times I’ve seen it, it’s surprising that I’ve never noticed these bloopers and mistakes that tell a different story about the film.

Disney changed everything
*Pretty Woman* became a romantic comedy that captured millions and launched Richard Gere and Julia Roberts to fame.

But that’s not how it was originally meant to be. The first screenplay was titled *3,000*, written by then-struggling screenwriter J.F. Lawton. The early draft dealt with much darker themes about social inequality and corporate greed.

However, everything changed when Disney took over. The company chose to downplay the themes of class and sex work in Los Angeles. Instead, Disney gave it a big budget and turned it more into a romantic comedy.

Al Pacino turned down the lead role
For me, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Richard Gere as Edward Lewis, the wealthy businessman from New York who hires Vivian (Julia Roberts) to be his escort for a week.

The casting process for *Pretty Woman* took longer than expected, with Al Pacino initially in the running for the role of Lewis. The famous actor even took part in a casting reading with Julia Roberts but ultimately decided to pass on the part.

Although he liked the script, Pacino never explained why he turned it down. Looking back, he has shown respect for Roberts, who was a relatively unknown actress at the time.

“I mean, you could tell at the reading that this was going to be good, that it would be a hit,” Pacino said.

He also mentioned: “And this girl was amazing. I asked Gary, ‘Where did you find this girl?’” (Gary being Gary Marshall, the film’s director). Pacino’s instincts were right, as Roberts’s outstanding performance would shape her career and the film’s legacy.

The croissant becomes a pancake
In the scene where Richard Gere’s character orders breakfast in the room, there’s a funny little detail you might not have noticed. It starts with Vivian enjoying a croissant while talking to Edward.

But then, in an instant, the croissant magically turns into a pancake.

Getty Images

How did that happen? According to director Garry Marshall, he liked Julia Roberts’ performance in the later takes, where she was eating a pancake instead of the croissant, so they decided to use that footage.

However, this caused a continuity issue. In the first shot with the pancake, Vivian takes a second bite, but in the next shot, the pancake only has one bite missing, and the bite marks are clearly different.

It’s clearly not the same pancake!

Truth behind the iconic dress
The careful attention to costume design might go unnoticed by most moviegoers. However, whether you notice fashion or not, it’s hard to miss the iconic red dress that Julia Roberts’ character wears in the film.

The red dress represents Vivian’s transformation and empowerment during a key scene in the movie when Roberts’ character joins Edward Lewis for a night at the opera.

Getty Images

Vogue described the dress as “eye-catching, incredibly sexy without losing any elegance.” The genius behind that stunning dress? The award-winning costume designer Marilyn Vance.

She created six fabulous outfits for Julia Roberts’ character, Vivian Ward, and also designed Richard Gere’s stylish looks.

For example, the charming brown-and-white polka dot dress Roberts wore to the horse race was made from old silk found in a small antique fabric shop in Los Angeles — talk about recycling in style! And those chic shoes? They were by Chanel.

Richard Gere’s tie
As for Gere’s wardrobe, it was a masterclass in color coordination, featuring brown, navy, and blue-gray suits, all designed by Vance.

Now, about that famous tie that Roberts takes from a store employee? According to Vance, it was “nothing special” and definitely not a designer piece.

She bought it in a Los Angeles shop for $48.

The tie appears several times in the film, and if you watch closely, you might notice that it mysteriously changes knots from time to time.

During the polo match, Edward wears a straight-collar shirt with the tie that Vivian gave him, knotted in a half-Windsor. But in a later scene, sharp-eyed viewers can see a subtle change — Edward’s collar has turned into a spread style, and the tie is now in a full-Windsor knot.

‘Obscene’ shopping spree
When Richard Gere shows Julia Roberts’ character the glamorous world of the rich, he takes her on a wild shopping spree down Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

That afternoon shopping trip? It would have cost Gere’s character at least $30,000, according to designer Marilyn Vance.

Talk about a shopping spree on steroids! It’s like they were shopping with Monopoly money — no wonder Vivian was in a daze.

The ruby-and-diamond necklace was real
The jewelry Julia Roberts wore with her stunning red ball gown — a heart-shaped necklace made of rubies and diamonds — was valued at an incredible quarter million dollars. Yes, you heard that right.

According to movie trivia sites, this ruby-and-diamond masterpiece was the real deal. In fact, while filming, an armed security guard from the jewelry store responsible for this extravagant necklace stood watch behind the director.

Jewelry box scene was a practical joke
The scene where Richard Gere gives Julia Roberts the expensive necklace is not only one of the most romantic and iconic moments in movie history, but it also has a funny backstory.

Originally, it was meant as a playful prank for the film’s gag reel.

As you might remember, the jewelry box snaps shut on Julia Roberts’ fingers, causing one of the most genuine and charming laughs ever caught on film.

The real story behind the scene came from director Garry Marshall, who explained why he and Gere decided to play this trick on the young actress.

According to Marshall, Roberts, who was just 23 at the time, would sometimes show up on set a little sleepy after a late night out.

“I said, ‘Richard, you gotta wake her up a little, so when she reaches for the box, slam it.’ It was a soft box. I would never hurt her,” Marshall explained.

It wasn’t until the final stages of editing that they decided to keep the scene in the movie. “We put it in… and it became like the trademark of the movie,” Marshall said.

And just like that, an unscripted joke turned into cinematic magic.

Edward’s disappearing shoes
As mentioned earlier, there are some mistakes in *Pretty Woman* that aren’t easy to spot on the first viewing, but some keen viewers have noticed them.

For instance, when they leave the opera and head to the park, Vivian takes off Edward’s shoes. However, as he begins to lie down, the shoes magically reappear.

Money in the boot
Speaking of things on (or in) your feet, there’s a little mystery involving Vivian’s boots that you might have missed.

When Edward gives her $100 in the penthouse, she slips the cash right into her boot for safekeeping. But later, after room service arrives with champagne and she takes off her boots, the money has mysteriously disappeared.

Did the cash vanish into thin air, or is Vivian just really good at hiding things? Maybe those boots had a secret compartment, or perhaps the $100 simply didn’t want to stick around for the rest of the film…

Four colored condoms
When Vivian offers Edward a selection of colorful condoms, it seems they have a mind of their own.

Getty Images

Vivian starts with four neatly arranged options (not counting that fancy gold circle one). But in the next shot, the order has magically changed.

Richard Gere didn’t like his character
Richard Gere has certainly gained from the success of *Pretty Woman*—both in his career and his bank account. But he hasn’t always been fully positive about the film, especially regarding his character, Edward. At a film festival in Venice, Gere described Edward as “criminally underwritten.” He added, “Basically, he’s just a suit and a good haircut.”

One scene in particular seemed to bother Gere, where Edward plays the piano while Vivian moves closer. Reflecting on it, Gere sarcastically said, “I mean, no chemistry. This actor and this actress obviously had no chemistry between them… I haven’t seen that in a long time. That’s a sexy scene.”

Director Garry Marshall came up with the idea for the scene after asking Gere what he usually did late at night in a hotel. Gere remembered, “I said, ‘Well, I’m usually jet lagged, so I’m up all night. Usually, there’s a ballroom or a bar, and I’ll find a piano and play it.’” Marshall then suggested, “Well, let’s do something with that.”

So, the scene was mostly improvised, with Gere explaining: “He said, ‘Play something moody.’ I just started playing something moody that reflected this character’s interior life.”

Then, just as mysteriously, the original lineup of condoms snaps back in the third shot. It’s as if the condoms were having their own little dance routine behind the scenes.

More than just onscreen lovers
If you ask me, the chemistry between Julia Roberts and Gere in *Pretty Woman* was undeniable. But the sparks didn’t just fly when the cameras were rolling — they formed a close bond off-screen too.

In 2017, Gere shared that he still talks to Roberts “all the time,” and back in the day, they would chat “three or four times a day.”

You could say it was love at first sight, in a friendly sort of way.

Even in a fairytale romance, things don’t always go as planned. Maybe that’s what makes this movie so charming and keeps us watching it again and again, year after year.

Did we miss your favorite *Pretty Woman* blooper? Share it with us and keep the fun going!

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