There were emotional scenes on Friday as famous faces and ordinary folk bid farewell to Raffaella Carrà at the funeral of Italian TV icon and entertainment legend, who died at the age of 78 on Monday.
A big crowd of people followed the funeral at Rome’s Maria in Ara Coeli basilica on a big screen on the square outside.
Many people queued in intense heat on Thursday to pay their respects as she lay in state at Rome city hall. Carrà, who starred with Frank Sinatra in Von Ryan’s Express in 1965 and found cult TV success in Spain and other countries, becoming a gay icon, had been ill for some time.
Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said: “With the passing of Raffaella Carrà we lose the Lady of Italian television. A woman of great talent, passion and humanity who accompanies us our whole lives through. Addio Raffaella”.
Rock great Vasco Rossi tweeted “The most BEAUTIFUL and the best of all time!! ciao Raffaella viva #raffaellacarrá”.
ANSA
