Photos: Prince's ashes pictured after secret cremation

Prince’s body was released back to his family on Friday afternoon after undergoing a four hour autopsy at the Minnesota medical examiner’s office in Ramsey. From there he was driven to the First Memorial Western Chapel where he was cremated. His ashes were given to his only full sibling, 55 year old Tyka Nelson, pictured above in the multicoloured hair.

A family friend said Prince always wanted a small funeral when he died, he said he didn't want the pump and pageantry. He said:

"Throughout his life and following his Jehovah's Witness faith Prince made it clear to his family that if he ever were to be taken from us he wanted to die with dignity," said a family friend.

"He had very precise ideas about how he wanted his death to be handled and that didn't involve a huge funeral but a quiet service.

"He wanted it to be kept to the minimum of fuss. Prince was such figure you don't need a funeral to remember him by.

"The world has his music instead. He wanted to simply disappear with no fuss, no drama, no fanfare. It was just his style.