John Prescott with his wife Pauline on her 82nd birthday (Image: Prescott family)
Lord John Prescott smiles next to his beaming wife as the couple mark Lady Pauline Prescott’s 82nd birthday in the final photo of the former deputy prime minister.
Mourners will gather at Hull Minster on Thursday (January 30) as Lord Prescott is laid to rest after his in November last year.
The photo was posted on social media on November 21 after Lord Prescott died peacefully surrounded by members of his family.
It shows Lord Prescott smiling as Lady Prescott holds a birthday cake in front of her next to a bouquet of flowers, chocolates and champagne.
The picture formed part of a series of tweets announcing Lord Prescott’s death, in which the family paid tribute to a man who had spent his life trying to improve the lives of others.
John Prescott helped get the Kyoto climate change deal over the line (Image: Getty)
Lady Prescott and the couple’s sons, David and Johnathan, wrote: “John spent his life trying to improve the lives of others, fighting for social justice and protecting the environment, doing so from his time as a waiter on the cruise liners to becoming Britain’s longest serving Deputy Prime Minister.
“John dearly loved his home of Hull and representing its people in Parliament for 40 years was his greatest honour.”
They thanked the “amazing” NHS doctors and nurses who cared for Lord Prescott after he suffered a stroke in 2019 as well as the “dedicated” staff at the care home where he died.
More than 300 family, friends and colleagues have been invited to the service at Hull Minster, which begins at midday.
Lord Prescott served as deputy prime minister under between 1997 and 2007. He died on November 20 last year in the nursing home where he had been living with Alzheimer’s.
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John Prescott acted as a mediator in the turbulent relationship between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown (Image: Getty)
In a statement, the Prescott family said on the eve of the funeral: “We wish to thank everyone for their love and support on the passing of our husband, father and grandfather.
“To hear so many wonderful tributes from people who knew John has been a great source of comfort to us as we dealt with our grief. We hope the service will be an opportunity to celebrate his life and his love of Hull and its people.”
Hosted by the Rev Canon Dominic Black, the service will include singing from the Choral Hull children’s choir, made up from pupils across the city. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations for Alzheimer’s Research UK.
A former trade union activist and merchant seaman, Lord Prescott served as MP for Hull East for 40 years before he was ennobled in 2010.
As deputy prime minister, he oversaw the environment, transport and the regions, a brief which included helping to negotiate the international Kyoto Protocol on . He also acted as a mediator in the often turbulent relationship between Sir Tony and then chancellor Gordon Brown.
A former boxer, Lord Prescott will also be remembered for punching a protester who threw an egg at him during an election campaign visit to North Wales in 2001.