Visiting famous or celebrity graves may seem morbid to some, but for many people do it as a way of paying tribute to important cultural and historical figures. Taking the time to travel to and visit the gravesites of the famous allows us to reflect on the nature of death and remembrance, as well as feel that we are part of their memory being continued for generations to come. Here are some beautiful and fascinating celebrity graves that are worth taking the time to visit, in the UK and further abroad.
Princess Diana
Althorp, Northamptonshire, England.
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her activism and glamour made her an international icon, and earned her enduring popularity.
Elvis Presley
Graceland, Memphis, United States.
Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century.
Oscar Wilde
Père Lachaise, Paris, France.
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s.
Jim Morrison
Père Lachaise, Paris, France.
James Douglas Morrison was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredictable and erratic performances, and the dramatic circumstances surrounding his life and early death, Morrison is regarded by music critics and fans as one of the most influential frontmen in rock history.
John Keats
Cimitero Acattolico, Rome, Italy.
John Keats was an English poet of the second generation of Romantic poets, with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. His poems had been in publication for less than four years when he died.
Sir Isaac Newton
Westminster Abbey, London, England.
Sir Isaac Newton PRS was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author. He was a key figure in the philosophical revolution known as the Enlightenment.
Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee
Lakeview Cemetery, Seattle, United States.
Bruce Lee was a Hong Kong and American martial artist and actor. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that is often credited with paving the way for modern mixed martial arts (MMA).
Bob Marley
Nine Mile, Jamaica.
Robert Nesta Marley OM was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements of reggae, ska, and rocksteady, as well as his distinctive vocal and songwriting style. Marley's contributions to music increased the visibility of Jamaican music worldwide, and made him a global figure in popular culture to this day.
William Shakespeare
Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.
Jane Austen
Winchester Cathedral, Hampshire, England.
Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century.
Marilyn Monroe
Westwood Memorial Park, Los Angeles, United States.
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, model, and singer.
John F. Kennedy
Arlington, United States.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy often referred to by his initials JFK, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.
Herman Melville
Woodlawn Cemetery, New York, United States.
Herman Melville was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet of the American Renaissance period. Among his best-known works are Moby-Dick (1851).
Louis Armstrong
Flushing Cemetery, New York, United States.
Louis Daniel Armstrong nicknamed "Satchmo", "Satch", and "Pops", was an American trumpeter and vocalist. He was among the most influential figures in jazz. His career spanned five decades and several eras in the history of jazz.
J.R.R. Tolkien
Wolvercote Cemetery, Oxford, England.
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien OBE FRSL was an English writer and philologist. He was the author of the high fantasy works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
Martin Luther King Jr.
National Historical Park, Atlanta, Georgia, United States.
Martin Luther King Jr. was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.
Bob Ross
Woodlawn Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Gotha, Florida, United States.
Robert Norman Ross was an American painter, art instructor, and television host. He was the creator and host of The Joy of Painting, an instructional television program
Mel Blanc
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, Los Angeles, United States.
Melvin Jerome Blanc was an American voice actor and radio personality whose career spanned over 60 years. However, he became known worldwide for his work as the voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and numerous other characters from the Looney Tunes.
Jimi Hendrix
Greenwood Memorial Park & Funeral Home, Renton, Washington, United States.
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century.
Johnny Ramone
Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, Los Angeles, United States.
John William Cummings, better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American musician who was the guitarist and a founding member of the Ramones, a band that helped pioneer the punk movement.
Charlie Chaplin
Cimetière de Corsier-sur-Vevey, Corsier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland.
Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. KBE was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is considered one of the film industry's most important figures.
Elizabeth II
King George VI Memorial Chapel, England.
Elizabeth II was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime, and was head of state of 15 realms at the time of her death. Her reign of 70 years and 214 days was the longest of any British monarch and the longest verified reign of any female monarch in history.
