Dec 23
Tom Daley and Dustin Lance Black Plan Vow Renewal in 2027 as Tribute to Marriage Equality Pioneers
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Tom Daley, the celebrated British Olympic diver, and his husband Dustin Lance Black, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter known for "Milk", have shared plans to renew their wedding vows in May 2027. The couple, who married in May 2017 at Bovey Castle in Devon, UK, after getting engaged in 2015, always envisioned celebrating their 10-year milestone this way. "You know, we always said, ‘Oh, we should renew our vows when we’ve been married for 10 years,'" Daley told Attitude in an exclusive interview.
What was once a distant dream now feels imminent. "We used to say that when it felt like it was millennia into the future. And it’s going to be… well, as of January, it’ll be next year," Daley added, reflecting on how quickly time has passed since their union. The renewal holds added emotional weight as a tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner, parental figures and friends to Black who passed away on December 14, 2025. The Reiners were instrumental in advancing marriage equality through the American Foundation for Equal Rights , which they founded in 2009 to challenge California's Proposition 8—a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage.
Black, a founding board member of AFER, proposed San Francisco City Hall as the venue. "I would love to do San Francisco City Hall. It’s one of the most beautiful city halls there are. It’s where the Marriage Equality fight really began," he said. This location symbolizes the birthplace of significant legal battles for LGBTQ+ rights, including early challenges that paved the way for nationwide marriage equality in the United States via the 2015 Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. Black's involvement extended to creating "8", a play inspired by the federal trial against Proposition 8, further cementing his contributions.
In a heartfelt tribute, Black reflected on the Reiners' influence: "They taught me how to turn the passion of your heart into the strategy of your mind and action in your body… to move the needle towards a fairer world." He also noted, "People don’t remember anymore how radical it was in the United States that we might have marriage equality." The Reiners' legacy through AFER underscores the ongoing importance of such activism, providing a poignant backdrop for Daley and Black's renewal.
The couple's story extends beyond romance to practical life shifts. In 2024, Daley and Black relocated from the UK to Los Angeles with their two sons, Robert Ray Black-Daley and Phoenix James Black-Daley. Daley suggested that renewing vows in the US aligns with their new home base. This move has brought adjustments, particularly in areas like healthcare and education costs, which differ markedly from the UK system. "Life in the US is very different from the UK," Daley observed.
Amid these changes, the pair has partnered with Starling Bank to navigate their finances using the "Let’s Talk Money" tool. This initiative helped them address differing spending habits—Daley admits to being the bigger spender—fostering better communication about money as a family. Such openness reflects a modern approach to partnership, resonating with many LGBTQ+ couples balancing careers, parenting, and personal growth.
Daley and Black's announcement arrives at a time when visibility of long-term same-sex marriages remains vital for LGBTQ+ communities worldwide. Their story echoes the progress since their 2017 wedding, a period bookended by global advancements like Taiwan's 2019 legalization of same-sex marriage and ongoing fights in places where such rights are still contested. By choosing a site tied to marriage equality's origins, they honor pioneers like the Reiners while inspiring newer generations of transgender people, non-binary individuals, and others in the queer community pursuing committed relationships.
Daley's public journey—from coming out in 2013 to Olympic gold in 2020 and family life—has made him a role model. Black's advocacy, from scripting "Milk" to AFER work, complements this. Together, they exemplify how personal milestones can intersect with collective history. "May 2027," Daley confirmed as the target date, signaling firm plans.
This vow renewal not only celebrates their bond but also reaffirms commitment to the values that enabled it: equality, resilience, and love across diverse identities. As they prepare, their transparency offers affirmation to LGBTQ+ families everywhere navigating similar evolutions.
