The heartbreaking reason Paul O’Grady’s widower took ‘so long’ to reply to the Queen

Paul O’Grady’s widow has explained why he delayed responding to Queen Camilla after she sent a message of support in the wake of the TV legend’s death.

The comedian and national treasure died in March 2023 at the age of 67 after rising to fame as a drag performer and activist in the 1990s.

Soon after news of his death broke, tributes began pouring in from both the public and members of the entertainment industry.

Now, just over a year on from O’Grady’s death, Andre Portasio has spoken about the ‘overwhelming’ response he received in the days, weeks and months following.

‘I was getting letter and flowers, and it was very overwhelming but in hindsight I’ve realised how much the support helped me and I want to thank everyone for their kindness,’ he said during an appearance on Loose Women on Tuesday.

‘Paul was such a character, and I didn’t realise until he passed away just how popular he was. I never realised how loved he was, and I don’t think he did either. He never saw himself as a celebrity or a star,’ he added.

Paul O’Grady’s widow has spoken about the support he received following the TV legend’s death (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Andre, a former ballet dancer who had married O’Grady in 2017 just over a decade after they started dating, then spoke about how the Queen had also sent him a heartfelt letter.

However, he said he struggled to send a response, and it took many tries.

‘I would sit down and would start writing and then would go ‘no’ and it in the end I realised I didn’t need to write a book, just a thank you letter,’ he said.

He said he struggled to reply to a letter from Queen Camilla (Picture: Justin Tallis/PA Wire)

During the interview, Andre also shared how advice from one of his husband’s fans had spurred him to take their five dogs to see O’Grady before he was buried.

‘I opened one letter and an old lady who was 85 was very worried about the dogs and if they could say goodbye and it stayed in the back of my mind and just before he was buried I took the dogs to say goodbye,’ he recalled.

‘It was interesting to see how some engaged in Paul and others didn’t realise he wasn’t there anymore.’

The couple had been together for 18 years before O’Grady’s death in 2023 (Picture: Andre Portasio/ Instagram)

Last month Andre travelled to New Zealand during the time of the one-year anniversary of his husband’s death, wanting to avoid being in their house and ‘remembering the shock I went through’.

‘I don’t wish that on my worst enemy- finding the person you love on the floor,’ he said.

However, he said he felt incredibly ‘fortunate’ to have spent 18 years with O’Grady.

When announcing his husband’s death last year, Andre said he would be ‘greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, family, animals and all those who enjoyed his humour, wit and compassion’.

Loose Women airs weekdays at 12.30pm on ITV1.

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