Hollywood FAQs: American singer and song writer Aretha Franklin recently got engaged to her long time boyfriend William Wilkerson. The singer released a statement on January 3, 2011 and revealed that she and Willie are now planning a summer wedding. The Queen of Soul, who last year lost 85 lbs, will also hold a reception on a private Yacht after the wedding ceremony.
The 69-year-old singer joked that she is not pregnant and that she and her boyfriend got engaged during the holidays. Aretha is now considering Valentino, Vera Wang and Donna Karan to design her wedding dress. The singer already has four children and this will be the third wedding for Franklin. During the 60s, Franklin got married to her then manager Ted White. In the year 1984, the ‘Respect’ singer separated from her second husband Glynn Turman. The singer also revealed that she now feels fantastic after suffering a serious health problem in the year 2010.
Certain reports claimed that the singer was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but Franklin denied the reports. In the year 2010, the singer underwent a surgery for an undisclosed ailment for which she canceled all her concerts as well as personal appearances till the month of May. Since Aretha appears to be more transformed physically, there are doubts that she might have underwent gastric bypass surgery. On the other hand, the singer in a recent interview said that she will never undergo the surgeon’s knife for weight loss.
When asked the singer she denied the reports and said that she came to know about the rumor and that she can never tell them the correct name of the surgery. Franklin added that it is really not essential to discuss personal health. The singer did not even confirm that she had suffered from pancreatic cancer and added that she knew where it came from.
