A crowd of fans gathered outside the Paisley Park compound, some brought balloons and wore the musician's favorite color: purple. (Photo : You Tube/Wochit News)
American pop icon Prince, died on April 21, at his home in Paisley Park near Minneapolis. The 57-year-old musician was cremated in secret, just two days after his sudden death.
Before the cremation at the First Memorial Waterston Chapel, a private ceremony was held at the Paisley Park estate in Chanhassen, Minnesota, on April 23. The event was a celebration of Prince's life and only his immediate family and few close friends were allowed to attend.
According to Entertainment Tonight, the guest list was composed of just 20 people. The guests started to arrive at 2 p.m. and those who were sighted by the media were Prince's sister Tyka Nelson, brother-in-law Maurice Phillips, Judith Hill, Damaris Lewis, Van Jones, bassist Larry Graham and percussionist Shelia E.
The singer's publicist Yvette Noel-Schure said in a statement, "Prince was celebrated by a small group of his most beloved family, friends and his musicians, in a private, beautiful ceremony to say a loving goodbye."
She also confirmed that Prince's remains have been cremated but they decided not to reveal his final resting place as the family wants it to remain private. "We ask for your blessings and prayers of comfort for his family and close friends at this time," she concluded.
In any case, the cause of Prince's death is a mystery for now since the autopsy report will take a while to complete. Spokeswoman Martha Weaver said that before the cremation, an autopsy was performed at the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office in Ramsey, Minnesota, but the results will not be out until a few weeks, CNN reported.
Then again, Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson ruled out suicide or foul play as the "Purple Rain" singer's body bore no indications of trauma or violence when he was found unconscious inside a lift at Paisley Park. The sheriff added that Prince appeared to be alone in the compound and given his unique personality, this is not unusual.
In a news conference, Olson further assured fans all over the world that he and his team will "leave no stone unturned and make sure the public knows what happened."
Tributes for the pop icon have been pouring since the news of his death came out. Fans worldwide used their social media accounts to express their shock and sadness on Prince's sudden passing. Similarly, Hollywood personalities and musicians have also extended their condolences and relayed how the legendary singer would be missed.
Watch the special report on Prince's death below:
