The funeral service for Paul O’Grady, the beloved comedian and drag queen known for his iconic alter-ego, Lily Savage, was held in his home village of Aldington, Kent. The gay TV star died unexpectedly but peacefully on 29 March at the age of 67, leaving a lasting impact on the LGBTQ+ community.
Ahead of the funeral procession, fans, mourners, and countless dogs lined the streets in Aldington and O’Grady’s birth town of Birkenhead, Cheshire, to pay their respects to the star. O’Grady’s husband, Andre Portasio, headed the private service, arriving on a horse and holding one of O’Grady’s pet dogs, Conchita. The coffin itself paid a floral tribute to his much-loved canine companion Buster, who died in 2009.
Reverend Canon Roger Martin led the service, while the Salvation Army Band played songs including “Tomorrow” from Annie – which O’Grady was starring in at the time of his death. The funeral procession also included a group of dogs from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, acting as a guard of honour at the ceremony. O’Grady filmed his popular ITV documentary “For The Love of Dogs” at the London pet rehoming centre.
Famous faces at the ceremony included fellow comedian Jo Brand, TV presenter Gaby Roslin, Rolling Stones singer Ronnie Wood, Julian Clarey, and Eastenders actress Linda Henry. Actor and LGBTQ+ equality campaigner Michael Cashman also attended and read a Shakespeare poem at the service.
O’Grady was known for bringing drag culture into the mainstream and for his activism in the LGBTQ+ community. He was arrested in 1987 during a raid at a queer venue, the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, and was working on a campaign to force the police to apologize for past homophobia.
As fans and famous friends gathered to pay their respects, the legacy of Paul O’Grady and Lily Savage lives on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.