A gold-plated casket bearing Michael Jackson took center stage Tuesday as hundreds of millions worldwide bade farewell to the King of Pop in the final curtain call of his glittering career.
Tears and tributes flowed as mourners including rock stars and athletes gathered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for a star-studded but somber celebration of the music icon s turbulent life and times.
Jackson s 11-year-old daughter Paris tearfully addressed mourners in the heart-breaking last act of the two-hour service.
Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much, she said before dissolving into tears and being comforted by Jackson s sister, Janet.
Jackson s poignant journey began with a private service shortly after 8:15 am (1515 GMT) as family and friends gathered at the picturesque Forest Lawn mortuary high in the Hollywood Hills.
Jackson s golden casket, swathed with red flowers, then emerged and was loaded into a black hearse under the watchful eye of 20 media helicopters hovering overhead.
A motorcade of luxury vehicles then made a stately procession to the 20,000-capacity arena, where family, friends and celebrities rubbed shoulders with ordinary fans who had won tickets via an online lottery.
Jackson s casket was placed at the front of the stage as the service began with singer Smokey Robinson reading letters of condolence from those unable to attend, including a tribute from former South African president Nelson Mandela.
Michael was a giant and a legend in the music industry. And we mourn with the millions of fans worldwide, Mandela s tribute read.
Motown diva Diana Ross – named by Jackson in his will as an alternative guardian to his children – meanwhile said she had chosen to mourn privately.
Michael was a personal love of mine, a treasured part of my world, part of the fabric of my life, Ross s tribute said. Michael wanted me to be there for his children, and I will be there if they ever need me.
Ross was one of several notable absentees, with Jackson s long-time friend Elizabeth Taylor also opting to stay away.
I just don t believe that Michael would want me to share my grief with millions of others. How I feel is between us. Not a public event, Taylor said in a message on the Twitter micro-blogging site.
Tributes to Jackson from friends and associates were punctuated by performances from Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder and Jennifer Hudson amongst others as Jackson s family looked on approvingly. Jackson s brothers all wore matching suits and their sibling s signature solo sequined glove.
One of the biggest ovations came after rousing remarks by reverend Al Sharpton who told Jackson s children to disregard the lurid stories that often swirled around their father.
I want his three children to know – there weren t nothing strange about your daddy, Sharpton said. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with but he dealt with it.
The service drew to a close with a performance of Jackson s clarion call to end global suffering, Heal the World, before members of the star s family offered individual tributes.
As the service ended it was not immediately clear where Jackson was to be buried.
Fans meanwhile were left praising the execution of the memorial service, saying it had struck the right tone.
It was very fitting. It was a celebration, yet it was humble, said Wayne Darrington, 20.
Streets surrounding the Staples Center had been sealed off before dawn where thousands of police officers were deployed to guard against large crowds of ticketless fans.
A live feed of the service was made available free to television networks, while the event was being streamed via social networking websites Facebook and MySpace, officials said.
Fans gathered to sing Jackson s greatest hits and watch his videos ahead of the event in cities across the globe such as Tokyo, Hong Kong and Berlin.
US President Barack Obama meanwhile told CNN in an interview from Russia that Jackson was one of the greatest entertainers of our generation.
I think like Elvis, like (Frank) Sinatra, like the Beatles, he became a core part of our culture, Obama said, acknowledging the tragedy that was a part of the singer s life.
Jackson sold more than 750 million albums during a four-decade career that was ultimately overshadowed by repeated allegations of child abuse, his startling physical transformation and eccentric behavior.
Local and federal law enforcement agencies continue to probe the circumstances of his death on June 25 at the age of 50.
The Los Angeles County Coroner s office has said it will not issue a final cause of death for several weeks when the results of exhaustive toxicology tests are known.
Lawyers meanwhile are busy untangling the labyrinth of legal issues that have emerged in the aftermath of Jackson s death.
On Monday, a Los Angeles judge replaced Jackson s mother as temporary administrator of his estate with two of the pop icon s business associates, as instructed by a 2002 will.
