Drag legend Michelle DuBarry, who appeared as a judge in the first season of Canada's Drag Race, in the Miss Loose Jaw Pageant, has died at the age of 94. The news was confirmed by The Imperial Court of Toronto, a not-for-profit service organisation that raises funds to support various charities and organisations, on its Instagram page.

Alongside a series of images of the sta, it wrote: "It is with heavy hearts that The Imperial Court of Toronto announces the passing of Empress Michelle DuBarry..

"A trailblazer, performer, and beloved icon, Michelle inspired countless people through talent, resilience, and unapologetic authenticity.

"Her warmth, wit, and extraordinary presence left a lasting mark on everyone who had the privilege of seeing her perform or knowing her story..

"Her legacy will continue to shine through the lives she touched and the doors she helped open for others. Rest in peace, Michelle Dubarry. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten."

No cause of death was revealed, but in 2022, after beginning to show some symptoms of dementia, the star moved into a long-term care home, and a sale of some of her drag outfits and jewellery was staged at The 519 in April that year.

DuBarry was the stage name of Russell Alldread, who was awarded the title of the World's Oldest Performing Drag Queen by the Guinness World Records in 2015. However, the distinction was disputed, and another performer, who was one year older, was subsequently awarded the title in 2016.

He had begun performing drag in 1961 but only adopted his DuBarry persona in 1969 upon joining the Phase One drag troupe, taking his new performing surname from the 1943 film Du Barry Was a Lady, which starred Gene Kelly and Lucille Ball.

In 2021, CBC Radio One's The Doc Project aired a documentary about DuBarry, in which it was suggested that the shutdown of nearly all drag-related venues and events in 2020 due to the COVID lockdowns had dampened Alldread's enthusiasm for going out as Michelle anymore.

"I loved being Michelle DuBarry, [but] Michelle isn't around anymore," said Alldread. "I'm not involved in the drag world that much," Russell said on the show. However he added: "I miss the drag scene, that's for sure. It's just a part of me. It's just me.

Tributes flooded in for the beloved star. "My sweet Michelle. First time I met her in the 90s when I was her dresser at a one-woman show she had at our local bar, and there wasn't an empty seat in the house.

"She spent the later part of her drag career raising money for charities around the GTA and had a wonderful heart. RIP Empress Michelle," one person recalled on Reddit.

"Oh man, I saw her in Toronto quite a few times and she was always so wonderful. May she rest peacefully!" another added. A third said: "An absolute star. What a legacy she leaves behind. She will be missed."

A fourth shared: "I had the pleasure of interacting with her through bingo nights – what an absolutely wonderful human being. She treated me with so much warmth. RIP."

Meanwhile, a fifth said: "Oh man, I saw her in Toronto quite a few times, and she was always so wonderful. May she rest peacefully."