Celine Dion joined by hundreds of fans as she mourns loss of beloved husband at public visitation

Celine personally greeted family, friends and fans at the Notre-Dame Basilica where they wed in 1994

Global News Celine fought back tears as she accepted condolences from mourners
Hundreds turned out to pay their final respects to Celine Dion’s beloved late husband René Angélil during a public visitation in Montreal on Thursday afternoon.

Fans lined up outside the Notre-Dame Basilica before Celine personally greeted them along with family, friends and politicians inside.

Wearing a black gown and net veil, the grieving singer was joined by her mother Therese, 88, Rene’s brother Andre and also their 14-year-old son Rene-Charles.
Rene, who acted as a mentor and manager to Celine, passed away last Thursday after a long battle with throat cancer.

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Fans lined up outside before paying their final respects

Rene's funeral is due to take place on Friday at 3pm at the Notre Dame Basilica, where the pair exchanged their wedding vows back in 1994.

Ahead of the ceremony Celine, who also lost her brother to cancer just two days after her husband's death, shared a post on her official Facebook page saying the funeral would be live streamed around the world.


"From anywhere across the globe, it will be possible to follow René Angélil's state funeral online tomorrow," it read.

Following Rene’s death, a touching statement was shared on her Facebook page praising the “gentle” 73-year-old.


CLEMENT SABOURIN/AFP/Getty Images Rene's funeral will take place on Friday


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 The pair wed at the Notre-Dame Basilica in 1994

"He will be remembered as a gentle man, generous and kind, an unprecedented visionary, a modern Pygmalion, a Renaissance man.

"All who had the privilege of knowing him and of working closely with him, whether personally or professionally, salute a leader and a man of great intelligence and wisdom.


CLEMENT SABOURIN/AFP/Getty Images Celine, joined by her mother, greeted fans


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"As her manager, René Angélil made Céline Dion a star of international stature. René and Céline’s actions made a strong and permanent statement shedding light on Québec’s many talents and carrying it all over the world.

CLEMENT SABOURIN/AFP/Getty Images

"For this reason and for many others that bind him to the core values of this country, he has touched people’s hearts. They realize that they have lost a conqueror and a man of great substance and influence.

"He is now a part of the collective memory of the music industry, be it in Canada or elsewhere in the world."

A funeral service for Celine's brother Daniel is expected to take place several days later at St-Simon-et-Jude Church in Charlemagne, where he was raised.