Aretha Franklin - Aretha Franklin Calls Off Engagement

The Respect hitmaker licked off the New Year by confirming reports she was due to exchange vows with her "forever friend" Wilkerson this summer (12) - and she appeared to be hard at work planning the nuptials, recently gushing about her ideal wedding gown designers.

However, the singer has now changed her mind about walking down the aisle again.

In a joint statement, Franklin and Wilkerson add: "Regretfully, To Our Friends and Supporters: Will and I have decided we were moving a little too fast, and there were a number of things that had not been thought through thoroughly. There will be no wedding at this time. 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. Aretha & Will".

It was not immediately clear if the pair plans to remain a couple.

This would have been the Queen of Soul's third marriage - she was wed to Ted White for eight years before the two divorced in 1969, and she ended her six-year marriage to actor Glynn Turman in 1984.