Sir Elton fears gay bias will impact on son’s life

The 65-year-old star and his civil partner David Furnish, 49, became parents on Christmas Day 2010 to a child conceived using a donor egg and born via a surrogate.

But the singer said he was preparing himself for what would be a rough time growing up for his son, who is now 19 months.

In a magazine interview, he said the toddler did not yet have an inkling of his father’s fame.

“I want music to be a huge part of his life. I sit him on my lap and he doesn’t bang the piano,” Sir Elton said.

“He tries to copy me but he’s not formed enough yet to know what I do, thank God.

“When he finds out, he’ll look at me as if I’m bonkers. Being the child of someone famous is a huge ball and chain around your ankles. It’s going to be very difficult.”

Sir Elton added: “At school other children will say, ‘You don’t have a mummy’. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still homophobia and will be until a new generation of parents don’t instil it in their children.”

He added of his son’s upbringing: “It’s natural for him. He calls me ‘Daddy’ and David ‘Papa’.”

Sir Elton said that he introduced Zachary to Chopin, Mozart and Beethoven – as well as Nellie The Elephant – at a very young age, but that his son was more interested in football and cooking.

“I won’t push Zachary into anything. So far, he just loves kicking a ball and watching people cook,” he said.