Beloved drag icon Maxi Shield has been farewelled in a colourful funeral procession along Sydney’s Oxford Street.
The former RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under contestant, born Kristopher Elliott, died in late February aged 51 after a battle with cancer.
Shield was a popular contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, with one of the judges being Michelle Visage (right). (Supplied: Instagram @michellevisage)
On Wednesday, there was at times more laughter than tears as hundreds gathered at Paddington Town Hall to give Shield a final send off.
A pair of purple stilettos sat atop her white casket while family and friends shared their favourite memories. Most tributes were facetious and others more emotional.
A pair of purple stilettos sat atop Shield’s white casket. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)
Opening the service was celebrant Nick Bone, who encouraged mourners to take a deep breath then “inhale glitter and exhale grief”.
“We’re gathered here to celebrate the life of Kristopher Elliott, our dazzling, our much loved Maxi Shield, an international drag artist whose extraordinary talent, boundless generosity and unforgettable spirit lit up stages and touched hearts all around the world,” he said.
People lined Sydney’s Oxford Street to farewell Maxi Shield. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)
‘My chosen family’
Fellow drag performers and close friends, Vanity and Tora, gave a colourful eulogy reflecting on their decades-long friendship and her rise to fame.
“Maxi would have declared today ‘bloody glorious’,” Vanity said while encouraging the audience to chant the phrase back.
“I will forever miss my drag sister, my chosen family, my ride or die, but I take so much comfort in knowing that she left no stone unturned, no opportunity missed.”
There were tears and laughter during the service. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)
Tora spoke of Shield’s love for a late-night Oporto and the time the pair ate $500 worth of Haigh’s chocolate during a trip to Adelaide.
“The staff at Oporto told Maxi that after she and I stopped coming in, sales went right down,” Tora said in jest.
He said Shield possessed “an incredible ability to walk into a room and immediately make it brighter”.
“I think we can all take comfort in, because while her life was far too short, it was also incredibly full. She travelled, she performed, she made people laugh, and she built friendships that lasted decades.”
Shield’s partner of 15 years, David, broke into tears during his eulogy.
“You were more than a partner. You were my soulmate and companion,” he said.
Maxi Shield, born Kristopher Elliott, died in late February, aged 51, after a battle with cancer. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)
A live rendition of Purple Rain by Prince — “a Maxi signature” — was performed by artist Marney McQueen before a montage of Shield’s life, played to the backtrack Absolutely Everybody, by Vanessa Amorosi.
As the service closed, Shield’s remix of Madonna’s Like a Prayer played while pole bearers carried her casket out behind a flurry of pride flags.
Procession down Oxford Street
Flags at Taylor Square in the heart of Oxford Street were flown at half-mast. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)
The memorial was streamed live to the Oxford Street venues where Shield regularly performed, including the Oxford, Stonewall, Universal and The Burdekin.
Members of the public were also given the opportunity to wave off Shield as her hearse did one final lap along the street most known for its vibrant LGBTQIA+ community.
Members of the public were encouraged to wave off Maxi Shield in a procession along Oxford Street. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)
During the procession, flags at Taylor Square in the heart of Oxford Street were flown at half-mast in her honour.
Her wake, which organisers dubbed “the after party”, was held at the Beresford in Surry Hills.