RuPaul’s DragCon UK reveals plan to enable attendees to pay tribute to The Vivienne
RuPaul’s DragCon UK attendees will be able to pay tribute to The Vivienne this weekend. (Getty)
RuPaul’s DragCon UK will host a “memorial booth space” at the event this weekend for attendees to pay tribute to The Vivienne, following her death on Sunday, 5 January.
It was confirmed on Sunday that The Vivienne, born James Lee Williams, died at an address near Chester on Sunday, aged 32. Police have since stated that there were no suspicious circumstances.
As the first ever winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, her absence from this weekend’s fan event DragConUK will be painfully felt by attendees and its stars, many of whom have shared personal tributes to The Vivienne this week.
Organisers behind the event – which takes place at Excel London this Friday and Saturday, 10 and 11 January – have confirmed plans to set up a space for attendees to pay their respects.
They asked fans to be mindful when meeting the queens this weekend, as many of the stars will not yet feel able to talk about The Vivienne’s death.
“As we all move through this weekend together, we know that many of us will want to celebrate The Vivienne by sharing condolences with those close to her,” the organisers wrote in a post on Instagram.
“Please be mindful that we all process and experience grief differently and some people might not be ready yet to talk about the loss of someone important to them.
“We’re providing a memorial booth space on the Pink Carpet where all attendees of DragCon can go to pay tribute to The Vivienne, share condolences, and speak about it if they’re ready.”
The team behind the event confirmed that LGBTQ+ support charity Switchboard LGBTQ+ Helpline would be present for anyone in need of someone to talk to.
“We cannot wait to see everyone this weekend and fill the room with love,” the statement rounded off.
RuPaul’s DragCon UK is the UK’s largest annual celebration of drag, drawing tens of thousands of fans to the capital every year. Last year, it welcomed around 200 queens from across the Drag Race world.
This year’s event will see even more stars in attendance, including the new contestants currently appearing on RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17.
DragCon UK’s plan to host a memorial booth for attendees has been widely praised by fans and queens, with Drag Race UK season four winner Danny Beard writing: “Lovely. Thanks for doing this guys.”
Some fans of the drag reality show have pleaded with DragCon attendees not to “trauma dump” on any of the contestants they meet at this weekend’s event.
“I am BEGGINGGGGGG y’all to not trauma dump on these queens this weekend at DragCon. It’s totally okay to still be in mourning but we have no idea how those close to Viv are feeling and it’s not our place as fans to open those incredibly fresh wounds,” wrote one fan on X/Twitter.
On Sunday (12 January), a vigil will be held in The Vivienne’s home city of Liverpool, held by one of her favourite LGBTQ+ charities, Sahir House.
“In collaboration with James’ family and close friends, please join Sahir and the LGBTQ+ community of Liverpool for a vigil in James’ & The Vivienne’s memory,” the organisation wrote in a post on social media yesterday.
In collaboration with James' family and close friends, please join Sahir and the LGBTQ+ community of Liverpool for a vigil in James' & The Vivienne's memory.
— Sahir House (@SahirHouse) January 7, 2025
📅 Sun 12 January
🕕 6pm
📍 TBC (Check back and sign up to our mailing list for up to date info)https://t.co/gxUdDReYr1 pic.twitter.com/Z99nnd8Pnv
The vigil will take place at 6pm, with the location to be confirmed closer to the time.
It is also anticipated that the first episode of the new series of ITV’s Dancing On Ice, which returns on Sunday, will feature a tribute to the drag star and musical theatre actor.
The Vivienne came third on Dancing On Ice in 2023, and made history as the first drag artist to appear on the show.
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