All queens must have a king, right?

Well, after a tumultous year in which the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, suffered a near-death scare, the singer has announced that she will be walking down the aisle later this year. Franklin, 69, announced that she is getting married to longtime friend William "Willie" Wilkerson this year and is reportedly in the process of selecting a gown. She "is considering Donna Karan, Valentino and the queen of wedding dresses, Vera Wang, to design her gown," her rep told OK! magazine.

After her near-death scare, Franklin lost 85 pounds and looked healthier than ever. "We're looking at June or July for our date, and no, I'm not pregnant!" Franklin told OK!

She was previously married in 1969 and 1984. Both marriages ended in divorce.

We are so happy to hear that one of the world's greatest singers has recovered from her health scare and is now on her way to getting married. 

Read more at the Daily News.

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