Image source, Getty Images
Image caption, Dame Penelope Keith (pictured in 1980) was an actress
ByZac Sherratt and Joshua AskewSouth East
Dame Penelope Keith’s funeral has been hailed as “wonderful, beautiful and absolutely amazing” by her friends.
The actress, who starred in The Good Life and To The Manor Born, “died peacefully whilst living with cancer at her home” on 29 June at the age of 86.
Crowds lined the streets to say their goodbyes to the “very special lady” as her coffin travelled through her home town of Milford in Surrey before the service at Guildford Cathedral.
Broadcaster, writer and former politician Gyles Brandreth said the funeral was “filled with a mixture of sadness but laughter and gratitude as well because we were celebrating a great actress”.
“It was a wonderful way to remember a remarkable person,” he told BBC Radio Surrey.
Posting on X later, he said: “There was laughter and tears at Guildford Cathedral this morning – a truly beautiful and deeply moving funeral service for Dame Penelope Keith – what a lady and what a perfect service.
“It caught her completely. She was very special.”
Image caption, Many people gathered to pay their respects to the late actress
Brandreth described Dame Penelope as one of the nicest and kindest people.
“Her love of Surrey was in everything she did,” he said.
“Her sense of community… belonging and working for the community was considerable.”
Image caption, Dame Penelope was described as “great fun”
Sarah Cliff told BBC Radio Surrey Dame Penelope had been part of her childhood.
“[She] was known to me as Auntie Penny”, said Cliff. “She was great fun”.
Cliff, the daughter of the acting couple Michael Robbins and Hal Dyer, added that the service was “beautiful”.
“I’ve never been to this cathedral. It’s airy, it’s light, it’s lovely,” she said.
Image caption, Sarah Cliff (pictured) is the daughter of actors Michael Robbins and Hal Dyer
Doreen Walford said she and the late actress went back a long way.
She told BBC Radio Surrey the pair used to live close by and they had worked together.
“Everybody could talk to her,” she said.
On seeing the procession, she added: “I am so glad I came. It was absolutely amazing.”
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