The Brazilian dancer is widowed of the English comedian famous as a drag queen

The body of actor, TV host, presenter and drag queen Paul O’Grady, one of British TV’s most beloved personalities, was buried on Thursday (20) in the village of Aldington in southern England.

The artist died on March 28, at the age of 67, of heart complications. He was married to Brazilian André Portasio, 42, a former dancer with the English National Ballet, where he performed in several productions. The two have been together for 17 years.

Shaken, the widower followed him into the horse-drawn carriage where O’Grady’s coffin was arranged in a glass case. He was carrying the Maltese Conchita, one of the couple’s 5 dogs, on his lap. The funeral ceremony was attended by some celebrities, such as Ronnie Wood, guitarist of the Rolling Stones.

Paul rose to fame in the 1980s playing drag queen Lily Savage in the London gay scene. The success of the character has led to invitations to appear on television and radio programmes, including the prestigious state-owned BBC channel.

In addition to humor, he has used media visibility to defend gay rights and denounce prejudice against LGBT people. His work in entertainment and social activism earned him a medal of the Order of the British Empire.

Paul O’Grady’s love for dogs made him a friend of Queen Elizabeth II, a passionate breeder of the corgi breed. When they met, they had long conversations about dogs.

The artist was also close to the queen consort Camilla. In 2022, King Charles’s wife participated in an episode of the program ‘For The Love of Dogs’, hosted by Paul. In a statement, she said she was “deeply saddened” by the death of her friend.

Source: Terra