According to People, the split came about because of John’s work commitments. “Elton’s just not around,” a friend told the magazine. “Their paths aren’t crossing.”

But there were other contributing factors too, one of which was that John was struggling with his sexual identity. Soon after the divorce, he came out as gay. (In 1993 he met his partner David Furnish, to whom he is still married today. The couple have two children.)

The singer was also battling substance abuse. John himself has said that during his relationship with Blauel he would often drink six martinis in a sitting and was addicted to cocaine. “A drug addict thinks like this: ‘I’ve had enough boyfriends, and that’s not made me happy, so I’ll have a wife – that will change everything.’” John has said. “And I loved Renate. She’s a great girl. I really, really loved her. But you know… it is one of the things I regret most in my life, hurting her.”

The heartbreaking true story of Elton John’s brief marriage to Renate Blauel