Sir Elton John and David Furnish have paid tribute to their "great friend" Lily Safra after she passed away over the weekend
The 'Candle in the Wind' singer's husband shared a heartfelt message on their behalf, in which he thanked the billionaire socialite and philanthropist - who died of pancreatic cancer aged 87 in Switzerland on 9 July - for her contributions and support for their Elton John Aids Foundation charity over the years
13 July 2022
Sharing a photo of the couple with Lily, David wrote on Instagram: "Elton and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our great friend Lily Safra. Lily was an extraordinary lady, Mother, Grandmother and friend.
"Her generosity was boundless. Her philanthropic legacy, along with her dear and devoted late husband Edmond, is magnificent. We are eternally grateful for her munificent contributions to helping us build an AIDS free world. She gave so graciously to @ejaf
"Lily was also a lady of the most elegant and refined style. She had an exceptional and tasteful eye for beauty in all its forms.
"We will miss you greatly, dear Lily. You taught us all how to live with joy and lead with our hearts. Our love and prayers go out to all your family [heart and prayer emojis](sic)"
Elton then shared David's post to his own Instagram Story.
Lily inherited her wealth from her fourth husband, banker Edmond Safra, who died in a fire at their Monaco apartment in 1999.
He had chaired the Edmond J. Safra Foundation, which donated to organisations in 40 countries which supported education, science, medicine, religion, and humanitarian relief.
The Brazilian's fortune was an estimated $1.3 billion.
© 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity
