An emotional vigil was held in Liverpool, England, on Sunday night in memory of RuPaul’s Drag Race star The Vivienne, who died earlier this month at the age of 32
The Vivienne’s family has shared a tearful tribute to the star, who they said “brought sparkle to life.”
The RuPaul’s Drag Race star sadly died at just 32 years old last week and heartfelt tributes have been flooding in from across the globe. A large crowd gathered in Liverpool, England, on Sunday night to celebrate The Vivienne’s life.
The Vivienne’s close friend Bobby Musker shared a message from the family. “As a family we are completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for James, The Vivienne,” he began.
Bobby continued, “From an early age it was evident he was destined for the stage… he was determined to pave his own way in this world. The road was not easy but the dream never, ever changed and James would always tell us that they would make it happen and they did.”
They expressed their immense pride in all of The Vivienne’s achievements, saying they are “so unbelievably proud of everything they achieved. We will miss you for an eternity and for an eternity we will all love you.”
Isabella, The Vivienne’s niece, also addressed the crowd, expressing her love for her uncle. She said, “Thank you for being here to celebrate my uncle, I love you Uncle James.”
Fellow drag queen Danny Beard added, “I think this is what tonight should be about… a celebration of someone who touched the lives of so many,” and hailed The Vivienne as one of the world’s most recognisable drag queens and a beacon for the LGBT+ community.
Another friend remembered The Vivienne as a “legend” who was “always willing to experiment and push the boundaries of fashion, make-up and, of course, drag”. The vigil concluded with dozens of balloons released into the sky.
The Vivienne’s death was announced in a statement from their representative which read, “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend. James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother and uncle.”
It concluded with a plea for fans to respect for the family’s privacy, “They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career. We will not be releasing any further details. We please ask that James’s family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve.”