'I love you Papa': Nicole Kidman breaks down in tears,












A distraught Nicole Kidman broke down in tears as she said her final goodbye to her father Dr Antony Kidman on Friday at his funeral in Sydney.

The A-list Hollywood actress was supported by her husband Keith Urban and their two daughters Sunday Rose, six, and Faith Margaret, three, at the service held at St Francis Xavier Church on the North Shore.

Dr Kidman passed away at the age of 75 last week in Singapore, following a suspected heart attack.

Wearing dark sunglasses, Nicole cried and held her eldest daughter Sunday to her chest as pallbearers walked Antony's coffin to the waiting hearse.

After laying the coffin down, husband Keith then enveloped Nicole in a hug.

As churchgoers filtered out of the ceremony, Nicole held her daughters close to her knees and dabbed her eyes with a tissue.




Loving support: Keith placed a kiss on his wife's lips following the service
The congregation looked on as the hearse drove away, with several of Antony's grandchildren, including younger daughter Antonia's six children, waving at the departing vehicle.

Sixtie's Australian anthem The Carnival Is Over by the Seekers played out to the congregation, as two priests emerged from the church first.

They were closely followed by seven pallbearers carrying the coffin, which was lead by Urban and Antonia's second husband Craig Marran.

Channel Nine news reader Peter Overton also acted as a pallbearer.


 Nicole's husband Keith acted as pallbearer at the funeral along with Channel Nine news reader Peter Overton
 Flowers for grandpa: Nicole and Keith were surrounded by their two daughters and also the children of the actress's younger sister Antonia. Sunday Rose was seen carrying some white roses for her grandfather

Earlier Nicole delivered a heartfelt tribute to her beloved father during the church service before she and Keith performed an emotional acoustic version of Amazing Grace.

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

While Keith played the guitar in accompaniment, Nicole whispered 'thank you' as the last chord was played.

In her eulogy, Nicole - who Antony affectionately called 'Niccy' - lovingly remembered his final visit to America to visit her three weeks ago, telling mourners she was so thankful he had came to see her.
 Antony's wife Janelle touched her husband's coffin before it was driven away
 The mother-of-two blew a kiss as the car was driven away

 Urban was one of seven pallbearers to carry Dr Kidman's coffin out of the church
 Nicole eyes were etched with grief as she joined the congregation
 Urban put his arm around his wife as they made their way into the church with their younger daughter Faith Margaret
She said that theywent for long walks, visited the theatre and read manuscripts.

It was a 'beautiful' trip, she said, but Nicole on Friday dwelled on one particular evening where she came home to find her father had ate all the pizza they were meant to share and how he was very apologetic.

'I am so grateful he came to New York. And I'm so glad he ate all that pizza,' she said, to laughter from the congregation, which was packed with family, friends, colleagues and luminaries including actor Russell Crowe, his ex wife Danielle Spencer and businessman Dick Smith.

Nicole continued: 'I'm so lucky to be his daughter, and that he chose my mother to make me with.



 Sombre: The 47-year-old dressed in a black dress and her signature curls worn down around her shoulders
 Putting on a brave face: Nicole managed a small smile as she exited a blacked out vehicle with her husband
The actress also spoke of how her father got her through her high-profile divorce from Tom Cruise in 2001.

She recalled how he stayed by her side on an aeroplane just after the split.

And told her in times of crisis: 'Nic, it's going to be OK. It isn't what it could've been, it isn't what it should have been, it is what it is.'

The Academy Award-winning actress also remembered her father as a generous, wise and self restrained man, who cared little for material possessions.

She said he would not even look at the label if she bought him a Prada shirt.

'He is the reason I can't walk past someone on the street with their hands out without giving,' she said. 

 Hand-in-hand: Nicole and Keith held hands with their daughters who also held onto the hands of their cousins, the children of Nicole's younger sister Antonia

 Close knit: United in grief, the family entered the church during the sun-drenched afternoon to say goodbye to Dr Kidman
 Keith kept his arm around his wife as they made their way up the church stairs
His other grandchildren, Isabella and Connor, Nicole's adopted daughter and son from her marriage to Cruise, were not in attendance at the funeral and thought to be back in the US.

Also arriving at the Sydney church to pay their respects to the talented director of the health psychology unit at the University of Technology in Sydney, were Nicole's close friend Crowe and his ex wife Spencer.

Spencer, who was dressed respectfully in a simple short sleeved black dress teamed with black heels, stopped to shake hands with an assistant before being ushered inside.

Meanwhile, a sombre Russell was wearing a black suit and white shirt with tie and matching dark sunglasses to Danielle.

 Nicole's sister Antonia also wore black as she continues to mourn the death of her father
Channel Ten host Jessica Rowe and her husband Overton arrived early for the service. while Father Paul Coleman, who was seen visiting the Kidman family on Monday, oversaw the funeral.
Before the service, a hearse containing Dr Kidman's coffin arrived at the church.
It was adorned with yellow and purple flowers and carried by six pall bearers.
The ceremony began with the poem Farewell, by Anne Bronte.
Sounds of the hymn Morning is Broken could be heard by the congregation from outside the sunlit church on Sydney's North Shore.
Father Coleman opened the service by welcoming guests, and then Nicole, Antonia and husband Craig, wife Janelle, and others delivered their words of remembrance while Antony's grandchildren also said prayers.
During the service, a grief-stricken Janelle delivered an emotional and moving speech about her beloved husband who she called her  'soul mate'.
A voice rich in emotion, the mother-of-two struggled to express her love for her husband who touched the lives of so many.
'He used to say J you know one of the reasons I keep for is because I want to see those grandchild (ren) grow up,' she said.
 By her side: Antonia's eldest daughter Lucia, 15,  accompanied her grandmother and Nicole's mother Janelle inside
'Anthony had a zest and enthusiasm for life - That wonderful vibrant man who bounded out of the house to fly to Singapore.

'Every little mundane task and action that I do is a constant reminder - making a cup of tea, taking out the trash - he'd say you're the foreman, I'm the labourer.


'A man of enthusiasm and of passions once he'd committed to something he stuck to it.


'I could go on forever, his unconditional love of me, of the girls, Of the grandchildren.


'Night before he left he wept about a woman suffering ovation cancer he genuinely felt empathy.


'He was a good man in the sense of the word.


'Letters, cards, flowers, phone calls and visitors flooded in this week.


'I loved his eccentricities. We talked incessantly about world affairs about politics.

 Friends: Nicole's close friend Russell Crowe and his ex-wife Danielle Spencer also attended the service

 Spencer has also been a long time friend of the actress

 Channel Ten host Jessica Rowe was also seen outside the church

'He had a helpless infectious laughter - whether it was a Charlie Chaplin movie or the Road Runner - when Anthony laughed you laughed with him

'And of course he sang at home at work in his car - he practised in the front porch.

'He was persistent setting up of the health psychology unit.

'Dick Smith never wavered in his support of him. I could go on...

'My grief is so intense and I'm blocking out the loss until later, I will miss him so much.

'He was a dear good man who will never be forgotten, he leaves behind a family who will be better for knowing him.'

Antonia spoke following her mother and Nicole, saying it was difficult to follow the pair of them.

Grief-stricken, she spoke of the close relationship her and her father shared, saying they were 'similar in many ways'.
 Close-knit: Nicole was a pillar of strength for her heartbroken family at Friday's service

 Solemn: As churchgoers filtered out of the ceremony, Nicole held her daughters close to her knees and held back tears
 United: Nicole rushed home to be by her mother and sister's side, arriving back in Sydney on Sunday morning alongside Keith and their two lookalike girls













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