The funeral of Ivana Trump, the ex-wife of Donald Trump, is being held in New York City, bringing the family together for a rare public gathering.
Ms Trump, 73, died last week after reportedly falling down the stairs of her Manhattan apartment.
Among those in attendance are Donald and Ivana’s three children, Ivanka, Eric and Donald Trump Jr, who are all expected to speak during the service.
The pair were married for 15 years between 1977 and 1992.
Originally from what was then Czechoslovakia, Ivana Trump was a notable socialite who became the subject of intense public interest alongside Donald Trump during the 1980s and 1990s. After the pair separated, she went on to launch a line of beauty products, jewellery and clothing.
At the funeral on Wednesday, Ivana and Donald’s three children were seen standing together alongside their spouses and families as the hearse carrying the coffin arrived to be carried into St Vincent Ferrer Church.
The former president arrived separately alongside security personnel.
Others seen at the funeral included the real estate developer Charles Kushner – Jared Kushner’s father – Malaysian designer Zang Toi, TV host Jeanine Pirro and George Wayne, a former Vanity Fair journalist known for his interviews with celebrities.
No cameras are allowed inside the church during the service.
In a statement following her death, the family lauded Ms Trump as a “force in business” and “a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend”.
“Ivana Trump was a survivor. She fled from communism and embraced this country,” the statement said. “She taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion and determination.”
Her daughter, Ivanka, praised her mother as “brilliant, charming, passionate and wickedly funny”.
“She modelled strength, tenacity and determination in her every action. She lived life to the fullest – never forgoing an opportunity to laugh and dance,” she wrote.
Source: BBC