Elton John's mother passes away just months after healing longtime rift

Sir Elton John has revealed that his mum died with a poignant Instagram post reading: ‘Travel safe mum. Thank you for everything.’

He also said that he only saw her on Monday and that he was in ‘shock’.

Sheila Farebrother, 90, had not spoken to the star for nine years before they reconnected in May this year.

It is believed the pair fell out after Sir Elton, 70, demanded his mother stop speaking to two old family friends and she refused.

His mother also said in 2015 she believed David Furnish attempted to take control of her son’s life, at the expense of his old friends.

This was further inflamed when she claimed that Elton never told her she had become a grandmother when boys Elijah and Zachary were born.

Then on Mother’s Day in May Sir Elton posted a ‘throwback’ picture on Twitter of the two of them expressing his delight that they had reconciled.

Mrs Farebrother previously told the Daily Mail that Elton rang her nine years ago and ordered her to cut off all contact with Bob Halley – Sir Elton’s driver turned personal assistant, who he had fired after more than 30 years of service – and John Reid, with whom he had fallen out.

Mrs Farebrother, who lived in a bungalow on the South Coast, said: ‘I told him: “I’m not about to do that and drop them. Bob is like a son to me. He has always been marvellous to me and he lives nearby and keeps an eye on me”.’

She said Sir Elton flew into an expletive-filled rage, adding: ‘To my utter amazement, he told me he hated me.

‘And he banged the phone down. Imagine! To me, his mother!’

During that period, however, it is understood Sir Elton continued to support Sheila financially and to provide a roof over her head, despite all that has passed between them.

At one point she filled the void left by her son with a tribute act to the pop star.

Sheila Farebrother hired him to provide the entertainment at her birthday in March 2015 and would send emails to Mr Bacon, who himself described their link as ‘quite surreal’.

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