Publicist: Prince is cremated, celebrated in private ceremony

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS

Prince was cremated and a group of his “most beloved” family, friends and musicians celebrated him afterward in a small, private service, his publicist said Saturday.

Yvette Noel-Schure said in a statement that the 57-year-old music superstar’s family and friends gathered “in a private, beautiful ceremony” to say a loving goodbye.

The statement did not say where the service took place, but friends such as percussionist Sheila E. and bassist Larry Graham were both seen Saturday entering Prince’s suburban Minneapolis estate, Paisley Park.

Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson and brother-in-law Maurice Phillips also were seen on the grounds, as were catering trucks.

Hundreds of fans were gathered outside the estate, where a security fence was covered with purple balloons, flowers, signs and more honoring Prince. The musician lived and recorded at the compound.

Prince died Thursday at Paisley Park, and an autopsy was done Friday. But authorities have not released a cause of death and have said results could take days or weeks.

The publicist’s brief statement repeated that the cause of Prince’s death was unknown, and said autopsy results wouldn’t be received for at least four weeks.

The statement said the “final storage” of Prince’s remains would be private.

“We ask for your blessings and prayers of comfort for his family and close friends at this time,” the statement said.

It said a “musical celebration” would take place at a future date.

Prince was found unresponsive in an elevator at his estate. The sheriff and a medical-examiner spokeswoman declined Friday to say whether prescription drugs were taken from the home after his death.

Celebrity website TMZ, citing unidentified sources, has reported that Prince was treated for an overdose of the powerful painkiller Percocet while traveling home from concerts in Atlanta last week.

The site said his plane made an emergency landing April 15 in Moline, Ill., where he was briefly hospitalized.

Representatives for Prince did not respond to requests from The Associated Press to comment on the reports of the emergency landing and overdose treatment.