Prince’s final journey: Star’s ashes carried away beneath coat and taken to secret resting spot
His sister Tyka - who is expected to inherit his $200 million fortune - was at singer's intimate funeral
THESE pictures show Prince’s ashes being hidden under a coat and carried to a car as the music legend’s family took him to his final resting place.
The singer was cremated in an intimate funeral on Friday and a celebration of his life was held at his mansion the following day.
Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson and her son Prez were at the First Memorial Waterston Chapel when the performer’s body arrived at around 2pm.
It had been released to the family after a four hour autopsy was completed at the Minnesota medical examiner's office that same day.
Reports suggest Prince had left instructions for a small and simple funeral.
A modest service, which according to the Telegraph cost just $1,645, started at 3pm and last four hours, after which his family emerged with his ashes.
Pictures obtained by the Sunday Mirror show family members carrying an urn, concealed under a black jacket, as they prepared to lay him to rest in a secret location.
His publicist Anna Meacham 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.”
His sister Tyka is largely expected to inherit her brother’s £200 million fortune.
A day later his famous $10million Paisley Park home and studio was besieged by fans who gathered at the gates in a celebration of his life.
Many people wore his signature purple.
His family handed out purple commemorative boxes filled with pictures, merchandise and t-shirts as they also declared the mansion would become a museum in his honour.
Close friends Damaris Lewis, his former lover Sheila E and Prince’s band member Hannah Welton and her husband Josh Welton and others were spotted at the property.
Meanwhile, his brother-in-law Maurice Phillips revealed Prince had been awake for six-and-a-half days straight before his died at the Minnesota mansion on Thursday.
Phillips, 52, who is married to Tyka said: “He worked 154 hours straight.
“I was with him just last weekend. He was a good brother-in-law.”
Prince was photographed visiting a pharmacy in his final hours.
Reports suggest he was taking high levels of addictive painkiller Percocet which has a side-effect of insomnia.
It was also revealed that six days before his death the singer overdosed on the medicine forcing the plane he was on to perform an emergency landing.
Paramedics had to administer a ‘save shot’ adrenaline injection to revive him.
Less than a week later he was found dead slumped in a Paisley Park elevator.
Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson said here were 'no obvious signs of trauma' and ruled out suicide.
Results of his autopsy are yet to be published.
A family friend told the Mirror that Prince had specific ideas for his funeral, and that it must include a dignified ‘quiet service’.
They added: “He wanted it to be kept to the minimum of fuss.
“Prince was such figure you don't need a funeral to remember him by. He wanted to simply disappear with no fuss, no drama, no fanfare. It was just his style.
“It could not have been more different to Michael Jackson's service that was full of Hollywood razzmatazz.”
Prince was a Jehovah's Witness and his faith insists he is cremated within a week of his death.