Death of The Vivienne Ruled ‘Unnatural’

An inquiry was opened into the death of beloved U.K. drag queen The Vivienne last month, after the coroner determined he passed of an “unnatural cause.” The queen passed away at the age of 32.

The Vivienne, legal name James Lee Williams, was found dead in his home just outside of Chester, England on January 5. The police ruled that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, but this finding of an unnatural death mandates further investigation. An unnatural death in the U.K. contains myriad potential causes, including but not limited to suicides, accidents, and overdoses—and, regardless of suspicion, must be reported to the coroner to open an inquest. Williams’ case was opened in the Cheshire Coroner’s Court in Warrington, adjourned until June 30.

The Vivienne was the winner of the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019 and competed in season seven of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. She was also a profound stage actor—She played a part in the UK state tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and in an Ireland-centric tour of The Wizard of Oz as the Wicked Witch of the West. During a vigil for the beloved queen in Liverpool, her hometown, last month, the venue was lit up green in homage to her aforementioned recent role.

A global outpouring of love followed the announcement of The Vivienne’s death in early January. At her vigil, Bobby Musker (a close friend of Williams) read a statement from the family in reaction to the international devastation at the news; “From an early age, it was evident he was destined for the stage … He was determined to pave his own way in this world (…) The road was not easy but the dream never, ever changed, and James would always tell us that they would make it happen, and they did.”