Almost a week after Cilla Black tragically passed away, the star's body has been flown back to her native UK, her publicist has confirmed. The singer and TV personality died on Saturday 1 August while she was holidaying in Spain.
Her three sons have not revealed details of her funeral, but at the time of Cilla's death they released a statement saying that they hoped to "bring Mum home" soon.
A coroner's report found that the 72-year-old died of natural causes after falling on her balcony and consequently suffering a stroke. Cilla was sunbathing when she stood up and lost her balance, and sadly hit her head as she fell.
A special Christmas TV tribute is reportedly being planned for the late star
She was found a few hours later by her eldest son Robert, who was on holiday with his mum in her villa near Marbella.
"We are devastated by the sad loss of our mother, but have been deeply touched by all the kind messages of support from her friends, fans, the public and media," Robert and his younger brothers Ben and Jack wrote in a statement.
"We would like to thank everyone, especially the people of Liverpool. The tributes and condolences have really helped us through these difficult times.
"The Spanish authorities have now told us we are able to bring Mum home, which we hope to do as quickly as possible. We would also like to thank all those involved for their assistance with this matter. We respectfully request for our continued privacy to grieve."
Cilla's son Robert and his brothers said they wanted to "bring Mum home" soon
A special tribute has been planned for the Anyone Who Had A Heart singer, who was famously championed by her fellow Liverpudlians The Beatles. ITV is reportedly pitching for a Christmas tribute on TV to honour Cilla, who hosted Blind Date and Surprise Surprise.
"The shows she fronted for them are a huge part of her legacy," a source told The Sun. "They see her as true ITV royalty and want to reflect that in a huge telly extravaganza."
In this week's album countdown, the singer's greatest hits album The Very Best of Cilla Black climbed to number 14 after a resurge of sales.