The 30 Most Elaborate Celebrity Funerals
By Juliet Smith
2 years ago
1. Princess Diana- 1997
(Image/ Source: wikipedia.org)Princess Diana’s funeral was one of the most-watched funerals in history. Screened on TV around the world, the funeral was watched by millions as people paid their respects. Thousands of people also filled the streets of London to lay flowers as a way to say goodbye to the People’s Princess, who will be remembered as one of the most iconic members of the Royal Family.2. Michael Jackson- 2009
(Image/ Source: thedetailchannel.medium.com)When Michael Jackson passed away, fans were absolutely devastated. A funeral service was held for the pop star ten weeks after his shock death, as well as a memorial service at the Staple Center in Los Angeles. Tonnes of celebrities were in attendance, including Michael’s fellow child stars Macaulay Culkin and Mila Kunis.3. Pope John Paul II- 2005
(Image/ Source: wikipedia.org)Pope John Paul II’s funeral was held six days after he passed away. The funeral brought together the single largest gatherings in history of heads of states outside the United Nations; Four kings, five queens, at least seventy presidents and prime ministers, and more than fourteen leaders of other religions attended, as well as the general public, The Catholic Church then held nine days of mourning after the funeral.4. John Lennon- 1980
(Image/ Source: guardian.com)While there was no official funeral held for John Lennon, a cremation service took place in 1980. Wife Yoko and son Sean held a vigil for the former Beatle in December 1980, which held ten minutes of silence. Thousands paid tribute in New York and John’s native Liverpool, and the star’s ashes were later scattered in Central Park.5. Jim Henson- 1990
(Image/ Source: considerable.com)Five days after Jim Henson’s death, a memorial service was held in New York in 1990. The director and puppeteer had written his instructions for the funeral himself, and insisted that nobody was allowed to wear black at his funeral. His guests rose to the challenge and celebrated his life with brass bands, jazz, and a few songs from his beloved muppet puppets.6. Judy Garland- 1969
(Image/ Source: time.com)Judy Garland was found dead at 47 after an accidental overdose. The actress had struggled with her relationship with food for years, but added pressure to stay slim from MGM studios fuelled her drug addiction. Her funeral was held in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, where thousands of admirers came to pay their respects.7. Anna Nicole Smith- 2007
(Image/ Source: dailymail.co.uk)After bitter legal battles over the custody of her body, the former Playboy model was finally laid to rest in the Bahamas in 2007 in a rhinestone blanket. While there were hundreds of fans there, the lavish beach ceremony was only attended by 100 invited guests. Over 300 guests had been invited, making the crowd at the church much smaller than expected.8. Hunter S. Thompson- 2005
(Image/ Source: ranker.com)Writer and founder of “Gonzo” journalism Hunter S. Thompson shot himself in 2005, leaving behind a huge legacy of work. His $5 million funeral was funded by close friend and actor Johnny Depp, who fired the writer’s ashes into the sky out of a cannon. This was followed by red, white, blue and green fireworks.9. The Notorious B.I.G- 1997
(Image/ Source: rockthebells.com)After he was assassinated in a drive-by shooting, thousands gathered to pay tribute to the rapper at his funeral in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill, where Notorious B.I.G. grew up. Fans wanted to catch a glimpse of the star’s hearse before the family funeral service, and many were in tears as they mourned their loss. Even to this day, nobody knows who killed Notorious B.I.G.10. James Brown- 2006
(Image/ Source: augustchronicle.com)James Brown’s funeral was held in Harlem, New York in 2006. He had a 24-karat-gold coffin, which was in a white carriage drawn by two white horses. Thousands of fans lined the streets of New York to pay their respects to the Godfather of Soul. At the funeral service, the coffin was placed on a stage and opened for mourners.11. Frank Sinatra- 1998
(Image/ Source: warispeace.tumblr.com)After his passing, Frank Sinatra was buried next to his parents’ bronzed-lined vault in the California desert. This took place after a lavish Beverly Hills funeral that was attended by the stars of Hollywood. Television and press officers were excluded from the funeral service, and fans were kept behind barriers hundreds of yards from the church.12. Tupac Shakur- 1996
(Image/ Source: youtube.com)Tupac didn’t have an official funeral service, but he had one of the most elaborate and controversial celebrity funerals in history. After he was assassinated in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, Tupac Shakur’s old bandmates had him cremated. Fans gathered to pay tribute to the star, and the band then mixed Tupac’s ashes with cannabis and smoked him.13. Elvis Presley- 1977
(Image/ Source: nbcnews.com)Just two days after his death on August 18, 1977, Elvis Presley’s funeral went ahead. Devoted fans of The King lined the streets to pay tribute to the musician on Elvis Presley Boulevard. When the open casket was driven past in a procession of white limos, fans cried and wailed. Elvis was then laid to rest by his mother in Forest Hill. It was one of the biggest celebrity funerals in history.14. Ronald Reagan- 2004
(Image/ Source: npr.org)After suffering from Alzheimer’s disease for almost a decade, Ronald Reagan passed away at his family home at 93 years old. A huge state funeral was held at Washington National Cathedral on June 11, which President George W. Bush said was a national day of mourning. Ronald Reagan’s casket was then transported back to California to be displayed in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.15. Mother Teresa- 1997
(Image/ Source: nbcnews.com)Mother Teresa’s funeral was held in Calcutta, India when she passed away in 1997. Around 15,000 people attended her funeral at the Netaji Indoor stadium; there were kings, queens, cardinals and presidents, but half the seats were reserved for the poor. Wine was brought in by a leprosy patient, water by a woman released from prison, and bread by a man with a disability.16. Prince Philip, 2021
(Image/ Source: parade.com)After the Duke of Edinburgh ‘died peacefully’, a funeral was held in his honour. Prince Philip said he’d always wanted a small funeral, but he was given a royal ceremonial funeral, not a state funeral, which is usually reserved just for monarchs. Thousands lined the streets surrounding Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle to pay tribute to him.16. Richard Nixon- 1994
(Image/ Source: pastdaily.com)America went into national mourning when former president Richard Nixon passed away. His elaborate state funeral was attended by over 4000 people, including George W. H Bush, Bill and Hilary Clinton, and Ronald and Nancy Reagan. Richard Nixon’s body was placed at his Presidential Library before his burial next to his wife.17. Margaret Thatcher- 2013
(Image/ Source: independent.co.uk)While Margaret Thatcher’s funeral was a general state funeral, many view it as a royal funeral as the Queen decided to attend. The scale of the funeral for a politician in the UK was second only to Winston Churchill’s funeral in 1965. Margaret Thatcher’s funeral reportedly cost £3.6 million, and was met with a mix of tears and heckling from the general public.18. Kim Jong-Il- 2011
(Image/ Source: columbian.com)North Korea went into a state of mourning for Kim-Jong-Il after he passed away. While the news travelled fast around the globe, there weren’t that many countries that gave condolences to North Korea- just China and Japan. Thousands of North Koreans took to the streets to pay tribute to Kim Jong-Il at the open-air procession that saw mourners crying and beating their chests.19. Marilyn Monroe- 1962
(Image/ Source: people.com)20. Elizabeth Taylor- 2011
(Image/ Source: cnbc.com)Elizabeth Taylor was laid to rest in a private Jewish ceremony by Rabbi to the stars Jerry Cutler. The Hollywood actress was buried in an $11,000 mahogany casket lined with red velvet, and in one final touch, left instructions for the service to begin 15 minutes later than scheduled. This meant that she could still arrive fashionably late at her own funeral.21. Muhammad Ali- 2016
(Image/ Source: nytimes.com)While the legendary boxer had a private ceremony held by comedian Billy Crystal, his fans still got the chance to say goodbye to Muhammad Ali as his coffin was driven through the streets of his home city, Louisville in Kentucky. His funeral service was broadcast at the KFC Yum! Centre, which saw fans break down in tears.22. Aretha Franklin- 2018
(Image/ Source: newyorker.com)Aretha Franklin’s funeral saw no expense spared. The mammoth 8-hour-long service took place at the Greater Grace temple, where fans queued overnight to try and land a ticket. Ariana Grande, Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson took to the stage to celebrate Aretha’s life, while Bill Clinton gave words of comfort to the thousands of mourners.23. Amy Winehouse- 2011
(Image/ Source: mirror.co.uk)Fans were devastated by Amy Winehouse’s passing. Her private Jewish funeral was attended by plenty of famous faces, including Mark Ronson and Kelly Osbourne. The service then continued at Golders Green crematorium where her grandmother was cremated. Fan left flowers, cards and candles outside the singer’s home in Camden Square during the funeral service.24. The Queen Mother- 2o02
(Image/ Source: townandcountrymag.com)When the Queen Mother passed away in 2002, she was given one of the most expensive funerals in history. The Royal funeral took place at Westminster Abbey, and cost an estimated £5.4 million. Her carriage was adorned with her crown and jewellery, as well as flowers from her own garden. The funeral was watched by over 10 million people.25. John F. Kennedy- 1963
(Image/ Source: magnumphotos.com)After his tragic death, America went into national mourning. Kennedy’s sombre $15 million state funeral service was held in Washington, D.C, where his casket was placed in a horse-drawn carriage. The president was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, and it’s rumoured that the burial plot alone cost a whopping 13 million dollars.26. Abraham Lincoln- 1865
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(Image/ Source: thoughtco.com)Abraham Lincoln’s funeral was one of the biggest in America’s history. After the president had been assassinated, his body was carried to the White House, where mourners could visit him. He was then placed onto a train to Springfield, Illinois, where his famous funeral procession began. The train ended up travelling through seven states and 180 cities, allowing over 7 million people to pay their respects.27. Nelson Mandela- 2013
(Image/ Source: manchestereveningnews.com)Nelson Mandela’s funeral lasted for days. As the first Black president in South Africa, the country paid their respects with ten days of mourning, and many flew across the world to be there. His body was visited by over 100,000 people, including foreign leaders, who stayed for his funeral service in Qunu.28. Malcolm X- 1965
(Image/ Source: pennlive.com)El-Hajj Malik Shabazz, also known as Malcolm X, was assassinated in 1965 in New York. A public viewing of his casket took place at the Unity Funeral Home in Harlem, which saw thousands of mourners pay their respects to the civil rights activist. It’s believed that over 3,000 people attended his funeral service.29. Winston Churchill- 1965
(Image/ Source: bbc.com)The funeral of Winston Churchill was broadcast live around the world. It was the first state funeral of a politician in the century and the biggest national event since the Coronation of 1953. His body was finally laid to rest at St. Martin’s church in Bladon after a huge state funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral, which was attended by The Queen.30. Martin Luther King- 1968
(Image/ Source: hollywoodreporter.com)After his assassination, Martin Luther King was refused a state funeral by Georgia governor Lestor Maddox. But the civil rights leader still had a huge funeral service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, which was attended by 1,300 people. His body was then taken to a second service at Moorhouse College, where 100,000 watch the procession.31. Babe Ruth - 1948
(Image/ Source: stuffnobodycaresabout.com)Babe Ruth was a icon of the time, and for this reason he had a state ceremony which are known for their grandeur. It took place at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York and was attended by 6 thousand people. Back then especially, these ceremonies were long and elaborate and they ended in a grand feast.32. Sonny Bono - 1998
(Image/ Source: AParchive.com)Sonny Bono's funeral took place in Palm Springs, California. It was a very elaborate event attended by a lot of people including some of the biggest stars to date. What it will also always be remembered for is Cher's heart warming and humorous eulogy.33. James Doohan - 2005
(Image/ Source: space.com)James Doohan's send off cannot get any bigger than this. A portion of his ashes was scheduled to be sent off to space with a rocket. Unfortunately it was scheduled in 2008 and did not happen until 2012 due to unforeseen circumstances with the SpaceX rocket launch.34. David Bowie
(Image/ Source: artnet.com)David Bowie's funeral was elaborate in some ways...he opted out of a traditional service. So, instead of a ceremony attended by all his family and friends he instead wanted to be cremated and then for his ashes to be scattered on a luxurious island in Bali.35. Prince
(Image/ Source: DailyMail.com)Prince's family decided against a state funeral to honour the boundaries Prince had put in place between private and public life. So, he had a private ceremony. Despite this it was attended by high profile individuals including musicians who gave their own personal performances in honour of the singing legend.36. Robin Williams
(Image/ Source: Pinterest.com)People from all around gathered for Robin Williams funeral at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco. The funeral included multiple stars playing tributes and a whole afternoon of performances and video tributes in honour of the well loved Hollywood star.37. Amy Whinehouse
(Image/ Source: CBSnews.com)Amy Winehouse's service funeral was held at the Edgwarebury cemetery in north London attended by many famous faces such as Mark Ronson. Initially, her body was cremated and was taken to the Golders Green crematorium, the same place her grandmother was cremated. Then, her family went to Schindler Hall in Southgate for the beginning of a shiva (a traditional period of mourning in the Jewish faith).
38. Mac Miller
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39. Paul Walker
(Image/ Source: EOnline.com)Paul Walker was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills where his funeral took place. It was a very grand event with up to 5000 people in attendance including big celebrity names. Many people got up to pay tribute in the elaborate ceremony.40. Cory Monteith
(Image/ Source: TheMirror.com)Cory Monteith had his memorial organised by memorial by the Glee show creator himself as well as the executive producer Ryan Murphy, it included acts and performances as well as speeches about the actor. Fans as well as family and friends also attended Cory Monteith's memorial.41. Joan Rivers
(Image/ Source: YouTube.com)Joan Rivers had given clear instructions in the event of her death - a funeral full with stars and celebrities and an unconventional service. She got exactly what she asked for. There was a tonne of big names all congregating at the grand Temple Emanu-El. It was a very elaborate affair for the legend.42. John McCain
(Image/ Source: YouTube.com)Similarly John McCain's funeral wishes were granted. It was a slight on the president at the time; Donald Trump. It took place at the Washington National Cathedral. His daughter spoke: 'The America of John McCain does not need to be made great again, because it is already great', as did Barack Obama. His funeral was a powerful message to America.43. Tom Petty
(Image/ Source: DailyMail.com)Tom Petty was laid to rest at a lakeside shrine and meditation centre in Pacific Palisades, California a private funeral ceremony. The setting itself was highly elaborate and all of his friends and family gathered to pay their respects to the well loved star.44. Leonard Nimoy
(Image/ Source: DailyMail.com)Leonard Nimoy had a private ceremony which had to be hidden, it's whereabouts had to be protected so that they could not leak. A baptist church wanted to attend so they could protest Nimoy's controversial beliefs and picket the event however they could not find it.45. Carrie Fisher
(Image/ Source: reuters.com)The whole thing about this funeral was elaborate, form the procession right down to the shape of the urn - which was shaped like a pill in honour of her depressant pills which she was extremely appreciative of during life. She was buried at Forest Lawn crematory in Los Angeles alongside her mother.46. Luke Perry
(Image/ Source: DailyExpress.com)Luke Perry was laid to rest in a private but elaborate funeral in the US state of Tennessee with family and friends in attendance. It was a highly personalised ceremony and he had a mass of friends turn up as well as fans lining the outside to pay their respects.47. Anthony Bourdain
(Image/ Source: radaronline.com)Anthony Bourdain had just finished filming for a show, in the last episode he took part on a Bhutanese death ritual just a day before taking his own life. He had also discussed how he wanted the soul to be left he did not care for physical remains, and so he was cremated and an elaborate ceremony was held in honour.48. Kobe Bryant
(Image/ Source: thenewyorktimes.com)Kobe Bryant shared a funeral with his deceased daughter and a private ceremony took place for the two of them. They were both buried in their family estate in a tomb which could half a million pounds. The private plot is at the peak of the cemetery with views pointing towards Kobe's home.49. Steve Irwin
(Image/ Source: CBSnews.com)National treasure Steve Irwin had a funeral held at Australia Zoo - a place extremely close to his heart ran by his own family and himself. The zoo's own vans paraded around the zoo in honour and there were flowers arranged spelling out his famous word 'crikey'.50. Willie Johnson
(Image/ Source: NSF.com)The famous gospel singer Willie Johnson was buried at Harvey Hall Convention Center in Tyler, Texas. The funeral was a large ceremony with many people in attendance, both famous and non famous all attending to give Willie Johnson the big send off he deserved.51. Peter Stringfellow
(Image/ Source: wikipedia.org)Peter String fellow was well known for his naughty rock star lifestyle. And, in honour of this an all-night wake was held for him at his very own London club which was extremely well attended. The funeral service itself was the opposite - a sedat and peaceful woodland burial with acres of land and trees around.52. Queen Victoria
(Image/ Source: researchgate.org)Queen Victoria had one of the most elaborate state funerals in history, 33000 soldiers formed a procession while millions of mourners lined the streets. The horses that were pulling the gun carriage with her coffin inside actually broke from their harnesses and the naval guard had to drag it by hand into St. George’s chapel.53. Rudolph Valentino
(Image/ Source: DailyNews)Rudolph Valentino died with thousands and thousands of pounds of debt. Yet that did not stop him getting two funerals. In fact these were arranged publicly to drum up some funds. Valentino was then buried in a crypt that was borrowed from one of his friends in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.54. Grace Kelly
(Image/ Source: PastDaily)Grace Kelly was the princess of Monaco. She died after suffering a stroke and then crashing down a mountain in her car. She had an elaborate funeral with 200 people in attendance including Princess Diana and Cary Grant. It was the largest event that had ever been held in Monaco after the royal marriage.55. Hunter. S. Thompson
(Image/ Source: myoldkentuckyhome)Hunter. S. Thompson had a very elaborate send off. Apparently Johnny Depp spent 3 million to have his ashes fired from a cannon. And so they were, they were fired from a cannon from a 153-foot tower. It was attended by stars such as Jack Nicholson, John Cusack, Bill Murray and Sean Penn.56. Biggie
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57. James Brown
(Image/ Source: Flickr)James Brown's funeral was held December 30, 2006. His body was displayed in an open golden coffin in the James Brown Arena in Augusta which was packed full of people. Michael Jackson made a rare appearance to sing a performance at the funeral of his friend.58. Malcolm McLaren
(Image/ Source: wikipedia.org)Malcolm McLaren's funeral was just as unconventional and lively as he was. As his procession passed people cheered and one voice even shouted out 'anarchy' in line with the singer's music. His flower arrangements were position in the A symbol and they also spelled the words 'chaos' and 'cash'.59. George Hamilton
(Image/ Source: BelfastLive)George Hamilton had a funeral fit for a king.And, as well as the completely elaborate funeral- it was also attended by an impressive sea of people. The procession led by the carriage passed hundreds of people lining the streets as they turned out to pay their respects.60. Jimmy Dean
(Image/ Source: Pinterest)Jimmy Dean passed away at the age of 81 and his funeral was reflective of just how popular he was in his life. After his ceremony attended by many famous faces, his tomb was inscribed with words from his Grammy-winning song - "Big Bad John:" "Here lies one hell of a man."61. Freddie Mercury
(Image/ Source: Pinterest)Freddie Mercury had a very small funeral in 1991 the year of his death, which was conducted on Zoroastrian priest at the crematorium of West London - just as he asked. A small but intimate group of around 35 people made up of very close friends and family attended. His ashes were secretly given to his ex girlfriend to bury where nobody else will ever know.62. Gandhi
(Image/ Source: biobiography)In honour of the Great Gandhi, over two million people joined a five-mile long funeral procession. A procession that that took over five hours to reach the destination - Raj Ghat from the start of Birla House, where he had been assassinated. He was cremated on the bank of the holy Yamuna River, and his ashes were buried.63. River Phoenix
(Image/ Source: AZcentral)River Phoenix was places in a blue open casket coffin ad a memorial was held for his grieving friends and family.Around 60 people attended, all sharing their heartbreak over his untimely death. A memorial service was also held on the Paramount Studios Lot.64. Chadwick Boseman
(Image/ Source: distractify)The family and friends of Chadwick Boseman gathered for a memorial service - also attended by many of the biggest A lister names - to grieve the loss of Chadwick Boseman who who passed away at the age of 43 following years of battling with colon cancer.65. Sylvia Plath
(Image/ Source: DailyExpress)Sylvia Plath was a famous American author, poet, writer... known throughout the world for her works. She was buried characteristically of her poems, surrounded by wildlife and wild flowers with an elaborate private and intimate memorial for her nearest and dearest to attend.66. Bernie Mac
(Image/ Source: YouTube)Bernard Jeffrey McCullough - best known as Bernie Mac - was cremated at Washington Memory Garden. The elaborate service was attended by over 6,000 people, including Chicago mayor Richard Daley who all came to celebrate the life of the popular comedian. No expense had been spared for the organisation of this funeral.67. Kurt Cobain
(Image/ Source: Pinterest)Kurt Cobain tragically died at the young age of 27, after he committed suicide at his home. His funeral service was unique in order to honour Cobain's personality. He had a funeral service attended by 200,a memorial attended by 6,000 and then a Buddhist ritual memorial with his ashes too place to honour his Buddhist beliefs.68. Heath Ledger
(Image/ Source: CBSnews)Heath Ledger passed away after an overdose of drugs. His funeral remained completely secret as his family were set on things remaining private. His body had been moved from the funeral home surrounded by police guarding the place in the midst of a host of cameras and reporters.69. Jimi Hendrix
(Image/ Source: wikipedia.org)His entire family and friends as well as his professional music team past and present all came to attend the funeral of the legend. His coffin was lowered down to the tune 'When the Saints Go Marching in'' during his service which took place in Seattle.70. Anton Yelchin
(Image/ Source: pinterest.org)Anton Yelchin died tragically young after an accident with his Jeep that killed him. His funeral was elaborate but very private, attended only by close family and friends. His parents chose not to disclose the location of the service,even after it had taken place. What To Read Next
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