She lost 85lbs last year and now Aretha Franklin is gaining a husband. The Grammy-winning singer is engaged to long-time companion William 'Willie' Wilkerson.
She said in a statement Tuesday, that she and Wilkerson are considering a summer wedding, perhaps in Miami Beach, Florida.
The Queen of Soul wants to follow the ceremony with a reception on a private yacht.
Franklin and Wilkerson became engaged over the holidays. She is considering Vera Wang, Valentino and Donna Karan to design her dress.
It will be the third wedding for Franklin, who has four children.
She was married to her then manager, Ted White, during the '60s and split from her second husband actor Glynn Turman in 1984 after five years together.
Franklin recently said she is feeling 'fabulous' again after suffering from a serious health issue in 2010.
The Chain of Fools singer was reported to have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer – claims Ms Franklin denied.
However, she did undergo an unidentified surgery in December that year and she had cancelled concerts and personal appearances up until May.
Her more transformed physique has now promoted rumours she underwent gastric bypass surgery.
But Ms Franklin said in a recent interview that she 'would never' go under the surgeon's knife for weight loss surgery.
Asked if she had had a gastric bypass, Ms Franklin replied: “Definitely not – and would not. I heard that rumour. I said, ‘That is crazy.’ It definitely was not the bariatric or, what is it, gastric… Yeah, I can't even tell you the correct name of it.
“It's really not necessary to talk about one's personal medical health.”
Ms Franklin also addressed the rumours about reports she had pancreatic cancer and said: “There was just so many wild things out there and just so many things being said that weren’t true…I just felt I needed to address it a little.”
“I don’t know where pancreatic cancer came from, she states. 'I was sitting there reading the newspaper and it was saying someone in my family said that.”
She clarified: “No one in my family ever said that to anybody.”
Although she did not state what the nature of her health concerns were, the Baby I Love You hit-maker said that her doctors believe the surgery she had 'is going to add 15 to 20 more years' to her life.
culled from mail online