LONDON – George Michael said Tuesday that he and his longtime partner will make their relationship official under new British legislation offering gays many of the legal protections available to married couples.

“I’m sure Kenny (Goss) and I will be doing the old legal thing, but we won’t be doing the whole veil and gown thing,” Michael said at a screening of a documentary about his career. “It’ll be relatively soon after it comes in, probably early next year.”

The legislation creating civil partnerships becomes effective Dec. 21.

The singer said he and Goss, who have been a couple for nearly 10 years, planned a “small, private ceremony.”

“I’m not very romantic about it to be honest,” he said. “I think Kenny probably would be if I let him, but it’s just not me.”

The Civil Partnerships Bill passed by Parliament last year gives same-sex couples the right to form legally binding partnerships and entitles them to some of the same tax and pension rights married couples have.

“We want to do it, just in case,” Michael said. “You never know, I could get hit by a bus and the poor man could have nothing.”