A tale of two goodbyes: Nicole Kidman’s mother is farewelled in an intimate service at the same church as her father Antony’s very public funeral

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As I read through this heartfelt account of Antony’s funeral, my heart swells with empathy for all those who have lost such a remarkable individual. Having been to countless funerals myself, I can attest that they are always bittersweet occasions, filled with memories and emotions that bring both tears and smiles.

Nicole Kidman appeared quite serious as she bid goodbye to her mother, Janelle, at a church in Sydney on Tuesday – the very place where her father, Antony, was previously laid to rest.

At the heartfelt ceremony, the actress, now 57 years old, was comforted by her spouse Keith Urban and their two daughters – Sunday Rose, age 16, and Faith Margaret, aged 14.

Last month, Nicole had to depart from the Venice Film Festival shortly before she was set to receive the Best Actress award for her performance in Babygirl. This sudden decision was made upon learning about her mother’s passing at the age of 84.

At St Francis Xavier Church in Lavender Bay, located on Sydney’s North Shore, she bid a solemn farewell to her mother, Janelle, during a modest ceremony.

At the private family gathering, Antonia, who is 54 years old and married to Craig Morran, was present as well. Craig stood by her side for moral support.

Antonia’s children, Lucia (age 26), Hamish (age 23), and Sybella (age 17) – the ones she had with her deceased husband Angus Hawley – were among those who gathered to comfort their mother and her cousins, Nicole’s daughters Sunday and Faith.

Besides James, whom she had with Angus (who tragically passed away due to a suspected heart attack in April 2015), Antonia is also the mother of Nicholas and Alexander, who were born from her union with her second spouse, Craig.

At a particularly moving point before the ceremony for Janelle, Sunday found herself dabbing away tears, struggling to hold back her emotions.

A handful of dear friends joined as well, such as Richard Wilkins, Peter Overton along with his spouse Jessica Rowe; however, the occasion remained quite modest and familial in nature.

Back in 2014, I stood where I now stand, witnessing a heart-wrenching goodbye – the same location where the esteemed Kidman family bid farewell to their beloved patriarch, Antony, in a highly publicized ceremony filled with A-list attendees. It’s surreal to think that history repeated itself here.

In a profoundly saddening turn of events, I found myself deeply affected when the esteemed psychologist Antony, who had made significant contributions to his field, was tragically taken from us at the age of 75, following a suspected heart attack in Singapore.

On September 19, 2014, at her father’s funeral service, Nicole honored Antony with an emotional eulogy and performed a heartfelt song alongside Keith, bidding a poignant goodbye to him.

The event turned out to be more grandiose compared to Janelle’s simple, familial funeral, with numerous acquaintances from the Kidman family’s circle of celebrities in attendance, such as Russell Crowe.

At that moment, Nicole was spotted with tears in her eyes, hugging her daughter Sunday (who was six at the time), tightly against her, as the pallbearers escorted Antony’s casket towards a nearby hearse.

Following the lowering of the casket, Keith, a 56-year-old man, wrapped his arms around Nicole, providing unwavering support throughout.

After the service concluded, Nicole hugged her daughters tightly to her and wiped away tears with a tissue.

Onlookers watched as the hearse slowly moved off, a handful of Antony’s grandkids – among them, Antonia’s brood of six – waving their farewells to the vanishing car.

At the carnival tune played by The Seekers, two priests stepped out from the church ahead.

Seven pallbearers trailed behind, bearing the coffin, while Keith and Antonia’s second spouse, Craig, walked ahead of it.

During the funeral for Janelle, Peter Overton, accompanied by his wife Jessica Rowe and their daughter Allegra, served as one of the individuals responsible for carrying the casket.

In the spirit of honoring my cherished father, I took the stage at the church service to share moving words that echoed the depth of our bond. Later, hand-in-hand with Keith, we offered a poignant, acoustic rendition of the hymn, Amazing Grace, a melody that perfectly captured the emotions of the moment.

Playing to a silent congregation, their voices rung out through the church as they harmonised.

As I strummed along on the guitar, my fingers moving in harmony with Keith’s melody, Nicole leaned close and murmured a soft ‘thank you’ once the final chord echoed through the room.

During her heartfelt speech, Nicole, affectionately known as ‘Niccy’, fondly recollected Antony’s recent visit to America three weeks back, expressing deep gratitude that he made the trip to see her, sharing this moment with those gathered to mourn.

She expressed her gratitude for him visiting New York and enjoyed seeing him eat so much pizza, bringing on laughter from the crowd, a gathering filled with family, friends, work associates, and notable figures such as actor Russell, his former spouse Danielle Spencer, and entrepreneur Dick Smith.

Antonia and her spouse, Craig, offered heartfelt tributes, while Antony’s cherished grandkids recited prayers.

Antony’s grief-stricken wife Janelle delivered an emotional and moving speech about her beloved husband, who she called her ‘soulmate’. 

Visitors additionally enjoyed a slideshow depicting the life of the doctor, accompanied by music such as “Those Were the Days” by Gene Raskin, “Day Dream Believer” by The Monkees, and “Someone Who Will Watch Over Me” by George Gershwin.

The poem Farewell by Anne Bronte was also read out during the service while the hymn Morning is Broken was also heard by the congregation. 

The funeral came to an end, with everyone reciting the Lord’s Prayer together, followed by a heartfelt harp performance that resonated as people offered their condolences.

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2024-10-15 11:08