Ann Widdecombe’s family says a public memorial will be held later this year, after a private funeral in the coming weeks for close friends and relatives.
A public memorial for Ann Widdecombe will be held later this year, her family has said, after a private funeral in the coming weeks for relatives and close friends. The announcement follows a wave of tributes for the former Conservative minister and Reform UK spokeswoman, who died earlier this month at her Dartmoor home.
Widdecombe was 78 when she was found dead with serious head injuries. Her family said they appreciated the public outpouring of sympathy, but asked that the first service remain limited to those closest to her. Invitations for that private ceremony have already been sent, according to the family statement. The later memorial will be open to a wider public audience, with details to come.
The family’s message made clear that they understand the level of interest surrounding the funeral and want the private service handled with care. That request comes amid broad attention to Widdecombe’s life and death, as public figures from politics and television continued to remember her in the days after the news broke. The decision to separate the private funeral from the public memorial is a familiar one in high-profile British cases, balancing family grief with public demand to pay respects.
Among those offering tributes was Anton Du Beke, who partnered with Widdecombe on Strictly Come Dancing in 2010. He said he was devastated and described the news as the saddest of news. In a video posted on X, he recalled their time on the show and said she became a real friend. He praised her as fun, upbeat, positive, supportive, and willing to join in with the spirit of the competition.
“Ann Widdecombe’s family says a public memorial will be held later this year, after a private funeral in the coming weeks for close friends and relatives.”
Political reactions were just as strong. Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, said the party was reeling. She called Widdecombe a very fun and feisty woman who spoke her mind. Sir Keir Starmer, then prime minister, described her as a distinguished politician. Nigel Farage also paid tribute in a social media video, calling her an extraordinary woman who devoted her life to public service and to the causes she believed in. He added that she was a devout Christian with strong socially conservative views, and said that was not popular in modern Britain but reflected what she stood for.
Widdecombe’s public career stretched across several chapters of British politics. She served as Conservative MP for Maidstone in Kent for 23 years and held ministerial roles in Sir John Major’s government in the 1990s. After leaving the Commons, she became a familiar face to many voters beyond Westminster when she appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 and later finished as runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother.
Her later political path moved through the Brexit Party, where she represented South West England in the European Parliament, and then to Reform UK, where she became a party spokeswoman in 2023. The plans for a later public memorial show that, even in death, Widdecombe remains a figure who drew strong reactions across politics and popular culture. For readers, the key point is simple: a private goodbye comes first, but a wider public farewell is still to follow later this year.
Frequently asked questions
When will Ann Widdecombe’s funeral and memorial take place?
Her private funeral is planned for the coming weeks. A public memorial will be held later this year, with details still to come.
Who will be allowed to attend the private funeral?
The family said the first service should be limited to relatives and close friends. Invitations for that private ceremony have already been sent.
How did public figures respond to Widdecombe’s death?
Tributes came from people in politics and television, including Anton Du Beke, Kemi Badenoch, Sir Keir Starmer, and Nigel Farage. They remembered her as fun, feisty, distinguished, and devoted to public service.
What positions did Ann Widdecombe hold in public life?
She was Conservative MP for Maidstone for 23 years and served as a minister in Sir John Major’s government. She later represented South West England in the European Parliament for the Brexit Party and became a Reform UK spokeswoman in 2023.
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