The sudden death of drag queen, Trump impersonator The Vivienne at 32

The Vivienne was a trailblazer after winning the first edition of ‘RuPaul's Drag Race UK’ in 2019. She had chosen her name in tribute to designer Vivienne Westwood and, at the age of 32, has passed away unexpectedly.

It was Simon Jones, her manager, who confirmed the devastating news in a statement released on social media, remembering The Vivienne as ‘an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person’.

The Vivienne, whose real name was James Lee Williams, was an absolute star in the world of entertainment and the drag community, which has been seen in the amount of condolences and kind words that have filled social networks.

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Born in Wales, The Vivienne wanted to show the world her admiration for Vivienne Westwood by assuming her name as her own but it was ‘RuPaul's Drag Race UK’ that launched her to stardom.

In a memorable finale, she beat Divina de Campo, thanks to a legendary lip sync of ‘Wham!’ and their hit ‘I'm Your Man’, The Vivienne was crowned the UK's first winner of the competition.

The Vivienne defined herself as a performer who combined the best of old and new school, combining her tremendous talent for comedy with her no less valued ability to imitate voices, as she demonstrated on several occasions with Donald Trump.

After winning on ‘RuPaul's Drag Race UK’, The Vivienne became a celebrity in her own right and for the past five years has been dedicated to showcasing the talent she has.

In 2023, she finished third on ‘Dancing on Ice’, and also played the Wicked Witch of the West in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ tour of the UK and Ireland.

A year earlier, she was the victim of a homophobic attack in Liverpool that ended up in court. The Vivienne has always been one of the visible faces of the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the UK and around the world.

From the official ‘RuPaul's Drag Race UK’ account they wanted to say goodbye to The Vivienne assuring that ‘she will be dearly missed, but her legacy will live on as a beacon of creativity and authenticity’.

Michelle Visage, a judge on the show, recalled her friendship with the artist. ‘Your laughter, your wit, your talent, your drag. I loved all of it but I loved your friendship most of all. You were a beacon to so many’.

Tia Kofi, winner of ‘RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World’ called The Vivienne a ‘mentor, inspiration and a friend’, in her social media farewell. May she rest in peace.

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