Freeman Brothers is an independent funeral director in West Sussex. The company was first established in Horsham in 1855, and now has a further three offices across the county in Billingshurst, Crawley, and Hurstpierpoint. Many things have changed in terms of funeral arranging since the company began, not least of which is the level of personalisation involved. Today, we look at a recent celebrity example where this is shown in the positive…

In early January 2025, it was announced that drag performer, The Vivienne, had died at the age of 32. The news came as a shock to their community, and many mourned the loss of a great talent via social media. As tributes were shared, a public vigil took place in their home city of Liverpool.

The Vivienne – also known as James – was incredibly popular. They first came to fame when they won the first UK series of Ru Paul’s Drag Race in 2019. Known for fierce looks and sharp wit, The Vivienne – named after fashion designer, Vivienne Westwood, of whom James was a fan – then enjoyed a successful career, participating in shows such as Dancing on Ice and continuing to be a sought-after drag performer. Prior to their death, The Vivienne had starred as the Wicked Witch of the West in a touring production of The Wizard of Oz.

Their funeral took place at the end of January, and I wanted to share some interesting personalisation elements, as well as acknowledging the sense of community that I think is conveyed. Like many drag performers, The Vivienne displayed a striking look, and backed this up with a big personality. It appears that their funeral honoured this, whilst also looking dignified and respectful. The service took place at a church in north Wales – James grew up in the village nearby prior to moving to Liverpool – and the coffin was conveyed via horse-drawn hearse.

Many of the mourners pictured arriving were distinctively dressed, and when you look closely at the photos, there are clear themes to their outfits. Whilst many are in dark clothing, there were several nods to The Vivienne – lots of guests chose green (the black horses pulling the hearse also wore green feather plumes), honouring her role in The Wizard of Oz, with many also adding checked patterns (a Westwood signature). There were also lots of eye-catching Westwood accessories on display via the designer’s unique logo – brooches and handbags were clear examples of these.

Accompanying the hearse were The Vivienne’s Drag Race trophies of a crown and sceptre, carried carefully by funeral staff into the church. I thought that another appropriate touch was that the hearse contained lettering flowers spelling ‘Vivienne’ and ‘James’, honouring both of this person’s identities and showing that all facets of them were being celebrated and mourned.

Many funerals historically of those within the LGBTQIA+ community have been reported to have been tense affairs, with some attendees failing to accept the deceased person’s identity. Whilst it is sad that The Vivienne’s life has ended so soon, it is also clear that they were loved and accepted, which could be of comfort to many. This supports what their family had shared via a speech during the Liverpool vigil, when they stated that they were, ‘so unbelievably proud’ of The Vivienne’s achievements and, ‘we will miss you for an eternity’.

Due to The Vivienne’s success and hard work, it’s clear that they knew and had worked with lots of people. Press photos of the funeral showed a variety of celebrities from the entertainment world in attendance, including several fellow Drag Race stars.

Given their age at the time of their death, whether or not The Vivienne had communicated any specific preferences for their funeral is uncertain. What their loved ones ended up planning clearly showed a sense of who they were, and how much they are missed.