Family & Friends Attend Private Service for Michael

With less than a day until Michael Jackson is laid to rest forever, family and friends of the late superstar gathered Monday night at Forest Lawn cemetery in L.A. for a private memorial service and remembrance.

Around 3pm PT on Monday, the entire expansive cemetery was closed off to the public in preparation for the event. Guests, dressed in black with many of the women wearing veils, arrived a few hours later.

Mourners gathered under a large tent, where refreshments were made available before the start of the ceremony. Michael's casket arrived on a white carriage and the guests all moved inside.

It's estimated that at least 500 people attended Monday night's ceremony, which finally ended around 10pm PT, with the final guests exiting around 10:30pm.

Tuesday morning's funeral, expected to take place before the massive memorial service at the Staples Center, will likely be a very small group of only Michael's immediate family and closest friends.');

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