Enrique Iglesias: Marriage Doesn't Make Any Difference
Enrique Iglesias has revealed why he has not married Anna Kournikova, his girlfriend of over 10 years.
The Latin singer said he and his longtime love do not plan to marry anytime soon, if ever, while speaking to Parade magazine this week.
"I've never really thought marriage would make a difference," Iglesias explained to the magazine. "Maybe it's because I come from divorced parents, but I don't think you love someone more because of a piece of paper."
Get Our Latest News for FREE
Enrique's father, Julio Iglesias, is also a famed singer. Enrique's mother, Isabel Preysler, married Julio in 1971, but the union was annulled in 1979.
Inglesias' stance reveals an increasingly concerning tendency in today's era for people to wait later in life to marry, or to avoid marriage entirely. Despite many family advocates promoting the need for stability in raising children, and insisting on the importance marriage has on that stability, Inglesias indicated that he does not necessarily agree: "Nowadays, it's not taboo to have kids and not be married," said Iglesias. "What makes a difference is that you're a good parent."
Many critics may also be quick to highlight the high divorce rate among celebrity couples as evidence to back up Inglesias' claims.
However, while Iglesias has no intention to marry Kournikova, he introduced his girlfriend as his "wife" at a concert in Russia last year. Clearing the air, Iglesias told Parade, "It was just meant to be sweet in the moment."
"I honestly didn't mean to confuse anyone," he continued. "I thought it'd be easier for the audience to understand that if I said 'my girl.'"
The 36-year-old "Balimos" singer said that love dominates his music.
"It's the thing we all have in common," said Iglesias talking about the love songs he is known for writing. "Ninety percent of music tackles that subject because everyone -- no matter how old, what religion, or what nationality -- knows those feelings."
Iglesias' former-tennis star girlfriend also opened up about the topic of marriage in a past interview with Women's Health magazine.
"[Marriage] isn't important to me," said Kournikova last year. "I'm in a happy relationship- that's all that matters."
The 30-year-old continued, "I believe in commitment. I believe in being open and trusting each other and respecting each other completely."
Iglesias and Kournikova have been in a long term on/off relationship since late 2001.
They were rumored to have wed in 2003 and again in 2005, but the couple consistently refused to directly confirm or deny the rumors until now. In 2008, rumors circulated that Iglesias and Kournikova had split up, but Iglesias later denied the reports.
In addition to singing and songwriting, Iglesias is also a producer and an actor.
