Royal Wedding: Elton John wells up 14 years after Princess Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey

By Andrea Magrath
Last updated at 8:30 AM on 30th April 2011

In an emotional interview three years ago, he described singing at Princess Diana’s funeral as a ‘surreal’ experience he hoped never to have to repeat.

So it is understandable that returning to Westminster Abbey today would be an emotional experience for Elton John.

After initially arriving at the event in high spirits, the singer appeared a little misty-eyed at one point in the ceremony.

Emotional: Elton John appeared rather misty-eyed during the Royal Wedding today

Elton was pictured biting his lip and his eyes looked red-rimmed as he gazed at the proceedings.

Earlier the 64-year-old shared a laugh with partner David Furnish and fellow guests as they took their front-row aisle seats inside the Abbey.

The couple were one of a handful of ‘celebrity’ guests including David and Victoria Beckham, Guy Ritchie, Rowan Atkinson and Joss Stone.

He received a huge cheer as they arrived at the Abbey, and waved gaily at the crowd.

Memories: The singer famously played at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales thirteen years earlier

‘Surreal’: In 2008 he gave an emotional interview discussing his performance of Candle In The Wind

But Elton’s mood turned sombre, perhaps as he reflected on his tribute to his late friend, the Princess Of Wales at her funeral on September 6, 1997.

Elton’s re-worked rendition of his hit Candle In The Wind moved the millions of viewers to tears and is widely regarded as the best-selling single of all time.

In a TV documentary aired in 2008, the singer recalled: ‘Me playing at the funeral was one of the most surreal things I have ever done.

‘What was going through my mind was, “Don’t f*** this up. Don’t sing a wrong note. Don’t sing the wrong note. Be stoic.

Excited: Elton looked in high spirits as he and a distracted David Furnish (left) waited for the ceremony to begin

“Don’t break down and just do it to the best you can possibly do it without showing any emotion whatsoever.”

‘My heart was beating quite a lot, I have to say,’ he told VH1 ‘RocDoc’ Me, Myself and I.

‘This is an unreal experience and I hope I never have to do it again.’

Elton was less forthcoming when asked by BBC Radio 5 outside the Abbey how he enjoyed the wedding.

Speaking after the ceremony, his response was: ‘It’s not the Oscars.’

Arrival: He received a huge cheer from the crowds as he arrived at the Abbey