The Vivienne was married to David Ludford for six years and he has now shared a heartbreaking tribute following the RuPaul’s Drag Race star’s sudden death

The Vivienne’s ex-husband has spoken out

The Vivienne’s ex-husband David Ludford has paid tribute to the drag star who tragically died at the age of 32.

James Lee Williams, known as The Vivienne, appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars and was married to David for six years. The pair met at Sparkles show bar in Spain’s Canary Islands, where The Vivienne was a Pride Quarter DJ and host.

The Vivienne married David in 2018 but they sadly split in 2023, releasing a joint statement at the time. Following the announcement of The Vivienne’s death, David shared a touching tribute as he posted a collage from their wedding day on social media.

Overwhelmed with sorrow, he took to social media and revealed that his “heart sank” upon hearing the devastating news. He further reflected, “Never in a million years did I ever think I’d ever be writing anything like this about James Lee Williams.”

David Ludford has shared a touching tribute ( 
Image:
d.ludford/Instagram)

The Vivienne died aged 32 ( 

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(Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo))
Emotionally recounting their relationship, he shared, “This man changed my life so much from the day we first met in August 2017 in Gran Canaria. We literally clicked straight away, and we knew we were going to be together for a long time! He made me feel love and showed me what it was really like to love someone.”

Continuing his touching tribute, he said, “We literally went through and did so much together it was like a whirlwind, and I wouldn’t have changed the time we spent together for anything In the world. I feel like a t– feeling this upset and hurt because we have been fully divorced for just over a year now, but we were together for 6 years, and we loved each other so much, and you can’t take that away.”

David said he will miss The Vivienne ‘more than people will ever know’ ( 
Image:
@d.ludford/Instagram)Don’t Miss 

Concluding his heartfelt post, he celebrated the bond they shared, “I’m so happy to say I not only met you, but we were together, we were husbands, and you were the biggest part of my life for such a long time. Six years is such a long time to spend 24/7 with. You will always have a place in my heart. I’m going to miss you more than people will ever know. Sleep tight, angel.”

An official statement was shared by The Vivienne’s spokesperson Simon Jones on Sunday night. It read, “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved James Lee Williams – The Vivienne, has passed this weekend.”

The statement continued, “James was an incredibly loved, warm-hearted and amazing person. Their family are heartbroken at the loss of their son, brother, and uncle. They are so proud of the wonderful things James achieved in their life and career. We will not be releasing any further details. We please ask that James’s family are given the time and privacy they now need to process and grieve.”