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Aretha Franklin Ends Three-Week Engagement

Queen of Soul says relationship was 'moving a little too fast'

January 23, 2012 2:05 PM ET

aretha franklin
Aretha Franklin and Willie Wilkerson attend the BET Honors Pre-Honors dinner at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.
Johnny Nunez/WireImage

Aretha Franklin has called off her engagement to William "Willie" Wickerson only three weeks after announcing their plans to wed. "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," Franklin told Us Weekly in a statement. "There will be no wedding at this time."

The Queen of Soul, 69, had previously announced elaborate plans to marry Wickerson in Miami Beach this summer, with a reception aboard a private yacht. "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," Franklin and Wickerson added in their statement.

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