Paul O’Grady’s burial site now has a headstone, a little over two years following the passing of the popular TV host in March 2023. The delay in erecting the headstone was due to a prolonged application procedure.
The 67-year-old television personality passed away at his residence near Ashford from a sudden Cardiac arrhythmia. Shortly thereafter, he was laid to rest at St Rumwold’s Churchyard in Bonnington, Kent.
For more than two and a half years, the grave remained unmarked, adorned only with wooden crosses and decorations. However, after a protracted application process, Paul’s husband, Andre Portasio, took to Paul’s Instagram to unveil the newly placed headstone.
Crafted from dark grey stone, the headstone bears Paul’s name and that of his former longtime partner Brendan Murphy, who succumbed to a brain tumor in 2005. Paul had expressed his final wish to be interred next to Brendan, his former partner and manager who passed away in 2005, causing profound sorrow to Paul.
Accompanying a photo of the headstone, which also featured a figurine of Paul’s dog Buster, Andre conveyed, “I am delighted to announce that after two and a half years since Paul’s passing and a rigorous application process, we have finally installed the final design of his headstone at his resting place.”
Expressing his ongoing affection for his late spouse, Andre added, “I miss him dearly every day, but I am relieved that his final resting place is now complete. I trust he would approve of the final design.”
Included on the headstone is one of Paul’s favorite quotes from Philosopher Michel de Montaigne: “The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be one’s own self.”
Paul’s admirers swiftly reacted to the news. One individual shared their joy, mentioning how touching it was to include Brendan. Another described the headstone as “beautiful” and expressed a desire to visit, while a third remarked on the inclusion of Buster, noting the resemblance of the figurine to one at Battersea Cats and Dogs Home.
Andre, a former ballet dancer, frequently pays tribute to Paul on social media and previously shared a picture of them on their wedding day in 2017. He revealed to Mirror that he watches videos of the presenter on the anniversary of his passing each year.
