The Vivienne’s young niece addresses crowd at vigil as Liverpool turns green for late icon

The Vivienne’s family held a touching vigil on Sunday night in Liverpool, where they were hailed as “brought sparkle to life” and pledged that their memory will last “for eternity.”

The Vivienne, who passed away at the age of 32, was the first winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. The star’s passing was confirmed by their publicist earlier this month, and people from all over the world have paid tribute.

Following their passing last week at the age of 32, a large crowd gathered on the steps of St George’s Hall to pay tribute to The Vivienne, whose real name was James Lee Williams. As friends, family and fans gathered, St George’s Hall was lit up in green in a nod to the drag queen’s role playing the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard Of Oz musical.

To pay tribute, the iconic landmark was illuminated in green, a nod to The Vivienne’s portrayal of the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz. Attendees of the event performed a moving rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow while waving their phone torches during a heartfelt moment.

The family, in a statement delivered by The Vivienne’s friend Bobby Musker, expressed, “As a family, we are deeply touched and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for James, also known as The Vivienne. The Vivienne’s James, The Vivienne, has completely overwhelmed our family.

They added: “From an early age it was evident he was destined for the stage… he was determined to pave his own way in this world”, they said. Although the dream never, ever changed, and James would consistently promise to make it happen, which they did. The family praised their accomplishments as “unbelievably impressive.” We will forever miss you, and forever will we be in love with you.

Isabella, The Vivienne’s young niece, stepped up to the microphone and spoke to the crowd. She said: “” Thank you for being here to celebrate my uncle, I love you Uncle James. “

Drag queen Danny Beard said they had just come back from RuPaul’s Drag Con where” the love for Viv was really overwhelming””. They said, “I believe this is what tonight should be about: a celebration of someone who touched the lives of so many people.” The Vivienne was one of the world’s most recognisable drag queens, proper world class entertainer.

“And above all a shining beacon for the LGBT (community) in our lives.” She also used her platform to “promote acceptance, challenge stereotypes, and be a voice for those who need it.”

Another friend of the TV star remembered The Vivienne as a “legend” who was “always willing to experiment and push the boundaries of fashion, make-up and, of course, drag”. As the song For Good from the musical Wicked plays, videos from the gathering show dozens of balloons being slammed off.

On Dancing on Ice in 2023, The Vivienne and Colin Grafton competed for third place. In the wake of The Vivienne’s passing, Colin paid tribute to his late skating partner, saying: “They truly brought light into every room they entered and gave so many people hope where there was none”.

Holly Willoughby and Stephen Mulhern paid tribute to The Vivienne as the show made its debut season this evening. As the 2025 cast was introduced to viewers, Holly paused the show to share the touching statement. “Before we move on, like us, many of you have been saddened by the tragedy of The Vivienne’s passing last weekend”, Holly began telling ITV viewers.

“Now, they were a huge part of the show, making it all the way to the final in 2023 and they’ll be very sorely missed, the former This Morning presenter continued”. Our thoughts are with The Vivienne’s loved ones at this sad time. So sad. “

” Absolutely, “Stephen agreed, before changing tone to say:” Ok, tonight’s we’ll see our first six couples take to the ice – the other six couples will perform next week – so lets crack on with the very first celebrity. The brief tribute caused a rift among viewers, with many on social media expressing their dissatisfaction with it.

Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Source: Mirror