Elton John Shares Rare Glimpse of His Sons Zachary & Elijah as They Grow Up

Mar 11, 2026 by apost team

Long before a portrait captured Elton John and David Furnish with their sons for the National Portrait Gallery, the couple had already built a life centered around family.

Elton John (born March 25, 1947) and filmmaker David Furnish (born Oct. 25, 1962) first met through mutual friends in 1993. Their relationship quickly deepened, and more than a decade later, John proposed. The pair entered a civil partnership in December 2005 and later married on Dec. 21, 2014, the ninth anniversary of that partnership.

By the time they exchanged vows, their family had already begun to grow. Their first son, Zachary, was born via surrogate on Dec. 25, 2010. Their second son, Elijah, followed on Jan. 11, 2013.

From the beginning, both parents have been clear about what matters most to them when raising their children. “All we hope is that Zachary and Elijah are healthy and happy,” Furnish said in an earlier interview with PEOPLE. “They will always be able to rely on us for total love and support, and we hope they grow up to live their own lives and be who they want to be, not who we want them to be.”

For John, fatherhood came later in life than he once expected. During a 2016 appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” the singer spoke candidly about how surprising that chapter of his life had been. “If you’d had said to me 10 years ago I’d be sitting on your show married to the man I love and have two beautiful children I would have said, ‘You put acid in my drink,’ ” he said.

The unexpected turn ultimately became one of the most meaningful parts of his life.

“But life throws you challenges and life throws you curveballs — great curveballs — and these two children have come along at a time I never thought I’d have children,” John added. “There’s no words to describe how much we love these boys. They’re just amazing.”

That sense of family life is captured in a portrait of John, Furnish and their two sons, Zachary and Elijah. The photograph will be displayed at London’s National Portrait Gallery and offers a rare look at the famous family together. The portrait shows the family seated in their home library alongside their two dogs. John and Furnish sit together on a sofa, with Furnish resting an arm on his husband’s leg. One of their sons sits on the arm of the couch while the other relaxes on the floor beside the family pets.

For the shoot, John leaned into his signature sense of style. He wore a striped eggplant-colored suit paired with royal blue glasses, pearl necklaces and large rings. He completed the look with lilac shoes featuring bright red soles. Furnish wore a tailored green suit with a light blue shirt underneath. Their sons kept things simple, both wearing black T-shirts and matching black loafers. The photograph was taken by photographer Catherine Opie shortly before Christmas.

In a statement shared with The Telegraph, John and Furnish reflected on the experience. They said:

“To have our family photographed by Catherine Opie and on display at the National Portrait Gallery is a huge honor. We are huge admirers of her work and proud to have her beautiful and poignant images in our collection.”

Opie also shared what the portrait represents to her. “For me, it represents the humanity of what family can be,” she explained. Victoria Siddall, director of the National Portrait Gallery, also welcomed the piece into the collection. “It celebrates not only Sir Elton John’s extraordinary achievements in music but also the vital humanitarian and philanthropic work that he and David have undertaken in recent decades, and the family they have built together,” she said.

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