Stars attend funeral of drag queen James Lee Williams
Josh Parry
LGBT & identity reporter
Reporting fromNorth Wales
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The Vivienne, aka James Lee Williams, died three weeks ago
Family, friends and celebrities have said farewell to James Lee Williams, better known as RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star The Vivienne.
The funeral took place in north Wales on Monday, three weeks after the performer was found dead aged 32 at their home in Cheshire.
Famous names among the mourners included singers Jade Thirlwall and H from Steps, drag queens Cheryl Hole and Baga Chipz, and actresses Claire Sweeney and Jennifer Ellison.
The coffin arrived in a horse-drawn carriage pulled by black horses with green plumes. Floral tributes “Vivienne”, “James” and “Son”, and the crown and sceptre awarded to Drag Race winners were carried into the church ahead of the coffin.
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The Drag Race UK winner’s crown and sceptre were carried into the church ahead of their coffin
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The coffin arrived in a horse-drawn hearse
Others at the service in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire, included TV personalities Kim Woodburn and Kerry Katona, and former Drag Race contestants Veronica Green and Tia Kofi.
The Vivienne won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019, and starred in musical theatre and TV productions.
Aston Merrygold from boy band JLS, who co-starred with the drag queen in a stage production of The Wizard Of Oz in London last year, was also at the funeral.
After service, those in attendance gathered on the lawn outside the church and white doves were released.
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Singers Jade Thirlwall and Marcus Collins are among the mourners
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Comedian Jayde Adams arrived with Ian “H” Watkins from pop group Steps
In early January, the news of Williams’ passing sparked an outpouring of grief from the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.
Monday’s funeral service took place at St Margaret’s Church in Bodelwyddan, near where Williams grew up and went to school.
They moved to Liverpool as a teenager and began performing in local bars and clubs as The Vivienne – named after their love of Vivienne Westwood clothing – before moving to Gran Canaria as a performer at Sparkles Show Bar.
In 2019 they won the first series of Drag Race UK and became known for their impersonation and character acting, most famously for their impression of Donald Trump.
The Vivienne later became the first competitor from the UK series to appear in the US version of the show, competing in series seven of Drag Race All Stars.
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Floral tributes spelled the names James and Vivienne
Away from RuPaul’s hit show, Williams also appeared on mainstream television shows including Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and Dancing on Ice, had a guest appearance on Emmerdale, and most recently competed on a Christmas special of Blankety Blank.
After their death, tributes were paid by high-profile names including Ariana Grande, Drag Race judge Michelle Visage and host and creator of the show RuPaul.
Hundreds also attended a public vigil in Liverpool, where friends and family paid tribute through music and speeches.
Public buildings in the city were lit up green in honour of The Vivienne’s role as The Wicked Witch of the West in the UK and Ireland tour of The Wizard of Oz.
A book of condolences was opened at The Museum of Liverpool for members of the public and has since been handed to the family.
Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding Williams’ death.
Shortly after their death was announced, Liverpool-based organisation Sahir House received an influx of donations in memory of The Vivienne, who was a long-standing supporter of the charity and posted about it shortly before their death.
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