Rene Angelil funeral set for Montreal this afternoon

Rene Angelil leaves behind the couple’s three children – Rene-Charles, 15, and twins Nelson and Eddy, five – as well as three other children from two previous marriages.

The crowd inside the church stood as Dion and her children entered and made the somber processional down the aisle toward Angelil’s casket.

Rene-Charles eulogized his father in French and English, saying he was lucky to have been born into such a loving family.

“Fifteen years is not a long time for a son to get to know his father”, he said, according to CBCNews.

She joined her family on the front row at the service, just yards away from where René lay in an open casket.

“You left me now with enough good memories of you to share with my younger brothers”, he added.

Also attending the service were Dion’s mother Therese, her eldest son Rene-Charles and Rene’s brother Andre.

The people of Quebec see Dion as their ambassador and Angelil was her true love, and now she has lost half of her soul, say some.

Although Celine did not sing live during the funeral, her songs ” Love Still Exists” and “For You to Love Me Again” were played during the ceremony.

The nationally televised funeral of Angélil, who died on January 14 at 73, took place in old Montreal in Notre-Dame Basilica, the cavernous, blue-and-gold, Gothic Revival church where they were married in a lavish wedding 21 years earlier.

Among the dignitaries present are Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau, Heritage Minister Melanie Joly, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, former prime minister Brian Mulroney, Premier Philippe Couillard and NDP Leader Tom Mulcair. A celebration of Angelil’s life will be held in Las Vegas, Feb. 3 at Caesars Palace.

“But today, we’re not honouring Celine Dion’s husband, we’re honouring Rene Angelil himself, who did a lot for our culture to make it be known better all around the world”, he said.