Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is an English singer, pianist and composer, with a career spanning six decades. John has sold over 300 million records, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Outside of music, John is an HIVAIDS charity fundraiser, and has been involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s. John owned Watford F.C. from 1976 to 1987 and again from 1997 to 2002, and is an honorary life president of the club. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for "services to music and charitable services" in 1998.
In 2019, French President Emmanuel Macron presented John with France's highest civilian award, the Legion d'honneur, and called him a "melodic genius" and praised his work on behalf of the LGBT community.