Sir Elton John’s ex-wife, Renate Blauel, has launched legal proceedings against the singer at the high court, in a rare intervention by a woman who has been avoiding publicity for decades.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media that Blauel filed the legal paperwork last week and is seeking an injunction against her former partner, according to filings seen by the Guardian.

The reason for the injunction application is unclear, but the approach is often taken in relation to privacy matters or to prevent publication of the material.

Blauel’s lawyer confirmed she had filed the paperwork. He declined to expand on why she had felt the need to file seek a high court injunction against her ex-husband after decades of silence, but said she was “hoping to resolve it amicably”.