Aretha Franklin Backpedals on Marriage Plans

The Queen of Soul said she and Willie Wilkerson had been moving "too fast."

Well, that didn't last very long.

Three weeks after boasting about her engagement to boyfriend William "Willie" Wilkerson, the Queen of Soul has put the brakes on her wedding plans.

"Will and I have decided we were moving a little too fast," Aretha Franklin said in a statement Monday. "There were a number of things that had not been thought through thoroughly."

What she had thought through quite thoroughly was the ceremony itself. Shortly after New Year's, Franklin told the media that she was considering a summer wedding in Miami, a Vera Wang (or Valentino or Donna Karan) dress, and a reception on a private yacht.

It's not clear if the 69-year-old has cut ties with her beau completely.

"We will not comment on it any further because of the very personal and sensitive nature of it. We appreciate all of the many well wishes from friends."

Perhaps the recent spate of short-lived marriages (Sinead O'Connor, 16 days; Kim Kardashian, 72 days; Katy Perry; 14 months) inspired the "Respect" singer think more critically about her plans.

This would have been Franklin's third marriage.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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