The Vivienne’s funeral attended by Drag Race icons and pop royalty
The Vivienne died unexpectedly earlier this month aged 32. (Getty)
A funeral for beloved James Lee Williams, aka The Vivienne, who died at the age of 32, has been held in north Wales.
The drag icon, who cemented herself as one of the most well-rounded queens in the Drag Race history books, died at their home in Cheshire on 5 January. Police confirmed there were “no suspicious circumstances” surrounding her death.
On Monday (27 January), The Vivienne’s funeral service took place at St Margaret’s Church in Bodelwyddan, near where The Vivienne went to school.
As reported by the BBC, ahead of the coffin, which was pulled by a pair of black horses with jade-coloured plumes, the crown and sceptre awarded to Drag Race winners was carried.
Countless celebrities attended The Vivienne’s funeral, including singer and former Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall, who has been confirmed to headline the UK’s queer pop event, Mighty Hoopla festival this year.
Ian Watkins, better-known as H from Steps, was also present. The LGBTQ+ icon, who publicly came out as gay in 2007, lives near Cowbridge, in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.
Fellow drag queens Cheryl Hole and Baga Chipz also attended the funeral. Baga Chipz, one of many drag icon’s who paid an emotional Tribute to The Vivienne following her death, described her as her “bestest friend”.
Actresses Claire Sweeney, who plays Cassandra Plummer on Coronation Street, and Jennifer Ellison, who hosted the UK version of Dance Moms on Lifetime, were also among attendees.
Kim Woodburn, who was famously impersonated by The Vivienne, and Kerry Katona, also paid their respects.
Former Drag Race stars Veronica Green, who recently revealed that she’s been diagnosed with autoimmune disorder multiple sclerosis and Tia Kofi were also in attendance.
As The Vivienne, Williams first gained national notoriety in the UK drag scene after being anointed the first “RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Ambassador” by RuPaul in 2015.
They went on to become the first winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019, becoming a household name in Britain. During her run on Drag Race, she was open about her battle with addiction, saying she hoped to “help people along the way”.
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