Britain's most famous gay couple Elton John and Canadian filmmaker David Furnish tied the knot yesterday in a star-studded event that capped the first week of civil partnership ceremonies in the United Kingdom.

Cameras flickered as hordes of photographers and fans huddled together in the cobbled streets around Windsor's town hall, the Guildhall, where Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles wed in April.

John, 58, and Furnish, 43, walked out smiling, waving and raising their thumbs after the ceremony as an attendant threw rice at the couple.

The couple are among hundreds of same-sex couples to wed in civil partnerships in England and Wales yesterday, the first day that such ceremonies become possible. Ceremonies were held earlier this week in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Three couples signed their documents moments after the register office opened at 8 am in Brighton, the south coast city known as Britain's gay capital.

Suzi Uprichard, 33, of Maidenhead, among the crowd in Windsor, was excited to be at what she described as a historic day for same-sex couples.

"It's a long time coming really," Uprichard said. "Admittedly, it's Elton and David's day, but it's the first day that gay couples can engage in civil ceremonies in ... England. So I think it's something celebrate."

Police erected security barriers outside building but expected no trouble.

Relaxed officers, some on horseback, chatted with photographers, who stood four and five deep on the streets outside the Guildhall.

'Wedding to raise profile of gay love' Fans got into the spirit of the event with posters featuring the couple and Queen Elizabeth II, who has a castle in Windsor, a centuries-old seat of British royalty west of London. A nearby shop wished the couple well with handpainted sign saying "go for it."

Gay rights activists see the unions as joyous and important in advancing efforts to give same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexuals. Peter Tatchell, spokesman for the gay and lesbian human rights group OutRage! said the wedding "would raise the profile of gay love and commitment."

"Their same-sex civil partnership ceremony will be reported all over the world including in countries where news about gay issues is normally never reported," he said. "This will give hope to millions of isolated, vulnerable, lesbian and gay people especially those living in repressive and homophobic countries."

Furnish, a Canadian-born filmmaker, and John have been together for 12 years.

The new law passed last year allows civil ceremonies that will give same-sex couples the same social security, tax, pension and inheritance rights as married couples.

Source: China Daily