Shane Warne was laid to rest at a private funeral on Sunday, with his loved ones seen paying respects at the service in Melbourne, Australia.
The legendary cricketer died suddenly on March 5 at the age of 52 following a suspected heart attack. An autopsy later revealed he died from ‘natural causes’.
On Sunday, his family and friends were seen at the St Kilda Football ground where they attended a private funeral service.
There were emotional scenes as his children, including son Jackson, 23, and daughter Brooke, 24, pictured gently kissing his casket at the end of a procession where Tina Turner’s hit song The Best played in the background.
Warne’s casket, which was draped in a St Kilda Saints scarf, was carried out by Jackson, Shane’s brother Jason and others, while his daughter Summer, 20, was seen in tears at the end of the service.
Other music that featured during the ceremony included Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes’ (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life from the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, and Fix You by Coldplay.
Guests, many of who wore St Kilda Saints scarves around their necks in honour of Warne’s favourite AFL team, were seen raising glasses as the casket was transported back to the hearse.
Celebrity guests included Dannii Minogue, Michael Clarke and Merv Hughes, while his ex-wife Simon Callahan was also in attendance to pay her respects and support the children she shares with the late sports icon.
A state memorial is scheduled to take place on March 30 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, so that the wider public can pay their respects. The ground’s Great Southern Stand will also be renamed in Warne’s honour.
Two days before the private funeral, Warne’s children Jackson and Brooke were invited to watch the the 2022 AFL Round 01 match between the St Kilda Saints and the Collingwood Magpies.
Posing with a St Kilda scarf, Brooke wrote in an Instagram post: ‘Such a special game to our family. Honouring our dad tonight has been such an amazing feeling.
‘Thank you to everyone involved. Feels good to smile… thank you and go pies.
Jackson added: ‘For Dad. Go Saints.’
Warne’s former fiancee Elizabeth Hurley expressed her ‘heartache’ at not being able to attend the private funeral, hours before the service got underway.
Alongside a sweet photo from their engagement, she wrote: ‘My heart aches that I can’t be in Australia tomorrow for Shane’s funeral.
‘I was filming last night and, with the time jump, physically can’t get there. These pictures were taken in Sri Lanka to celebrate our engagement- we had all our children with us and it was the happiest time. It still hasn’t really sunk in that he’s gone.’
She added: ‘It seems too cruel that all the people who loved him will never have another Lion hug, but our memories will live forever. RIP Lionheart, with love your Luna ❤️.’
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