Aretha Franklin eyes the aisle again

SINGER ARETHA Franklin has announced that she is set to marry longtime partner William Wilkerson later this year, say reports.

The 69-year-old, hailed as the 'Queen of soul', told The Associated Press in a statement that she is considering a summer wedding in Miami, Florida, followed by a reception on a private yacht.

The Grammy-winning singer, who joked that she is not 'pregnant', reportedly became engaged to her partner over the holidays and hopes to have celebrity wedding dress designers Vera Wang, Valentino, or Donna Karan design her gown.

It will be the third wedding for Franklin, who has four children from her previous marriages.