Aretha Franklin and Willie Willkerson.

Not long ago, Aretha Franklin surprised fans with the news that she and her longtime friend, William "Willie" Willkerson, were engaged and planned to tie the knot in June or July.  Well, get ready for another surprise - the Queen of Soul has called off the wedding.

In a statement, Franklin said, "Regretfully, To Our Friends and Supporters: 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.  There will be no wedding at this time."  She added, "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's rep initially told ABC News Radio that the couple were considering a wedding in Miami Beach, followed by a reception aboard a luxury yacht, with the legendary singer sporting a dress designed by Donna Karan, Valentino or Vera Wang.