Paul O'Grady's funeral date and timings have been confirmed with his loyal fans across the nation invited to line the streets to pay respect to the late television star.
The showbiz icon's funeral will be held this coming Thursday with locals set to see the funeral cortege pass through his home village in Kent. Paul died suddenly at the end of last month aged 67.
Paul's husband Andre Portasio has shared the details of Paul's funeral on local Facebook pages as the nation prepares to say goodbye this week, the Mirror reports.
Widowed Andre released a new picture of the entertainer smiling broadly while wearing white angel's wings and wrote: "I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for the overwhelming outpouring of support and love I have received since the passing of our beloved Paul O'Grady.
"Your kind messages, beautiful flowers, and thoughtful texts of condolences have brought me comfort and solace during this difficult time.
"I'm incredibly grateful for the support and love I have received from our community, and we want to thank each and every one of you for your kindness and generosity.
"As a mark of respect and as Paul would have wanted, we will be holding a private funeral on Thursday, 20th April 2023.
"This information has not been made public, but I wanted to share it with local residents.
"While the funeral will be a private ceremony, as many of you know, Paul cared a lot about his local community.
"We have therefore requested that the funeral procession passes through Aldington before heading to the church, as a way of marking Paul's affection for the area.
"We would therefore like to invite all locals to join us in paying our respects to Paul in Aldington Village between 14:10 - 14:45 on Thursday.
"In order to avoid road congestion and public disorder, we kindly ask all residents to treat this invitation personally and if attending to stand on either Roman Road, Forge Hill, or New Road Hill so to respect the villagers and the local area.
"Please note for public safety Church Road as well as Knoll Hill will be closed on the day of the procession. We kindly ask everyone to respect the family's wishes and maintain social distancing throughout the event.
"Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time."
We reported earlier on Monday that a private memorial is also planned for Port Lympne Safari Park - where the 67-year-old was a regular visitor.
Paul lived in Aldington, three miles from Port Lympne. According to reports, there will be a service at a nearby church before a celebration at the venue.
Port Lympne is home to over 900 rare and endangered animals, including monkeys, lions and tigers. It also has a prestigious hotel and restaurant.
The much-loved Lily Savage star died at his Kent home on March 28. A statement shared by family at the time of Paul's death revealed Paul had died 'unexpectedly but peacefully' at the age of 67 with the official death certificate confirming he died from sudden cardiac arrhythmia.
Paul had spoken openly about his battles with heart disease and had endured three heart attacks before the age of 65.
His death certificate, obtained by the Daily Express, showed long-time friend and former PA and agent, Joan Marshrons, registered the entertainer's death six days after he died at home.
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