Carrie Fisher's funeral held on January 5

3 January 2017

Carrie Fisher's funeral will be held on Thursday (05.01.17).

Carrie Fisher

The 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' actress- who passed away over the festive period following a heart attack at the age of 60 - will be laid to rest this week in an intimate ceremony so that her close friends and family can say goodbye in private.

However, Carrie's adoring fans around the world won't be left out as they may also get to celebrate the star's life as a public service will reportedly take place later on down the line, a source close to the family have told 'Entertainment Tonight'.

It's thought Carrie's mother Debbie Reynolds - who died a day after the star on December 28 - will also be laid to rest at the same time as the family want them to be buried next to each other at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Following the sudden death of Carrie on December 27 - days after she stopped breathing on a flight from London to Los Angeles - her half-sister Joely Fisher has penned a heartfelt tribute to her deceased sibling as she recalled their childhood.

Writing in a column for The Hollywood Reporter, Joely - who is the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Connie Stevens - wrote: "We spent the better part of our childhoods as neighbours, our two families right next door. I adored Mama Debbie -- she was such a character. And I got another sister and a brother in the deal, right there on the beach! During our transcontinental chat before Carrie's fateful flight from London to LA, we promised we'd spend Christmas together.

"It's a promise we kept, although not in a way either of us had anticipated. Throughout the holiday, I sat by her side in a hospital room filled with a cacophony of sounds made by the machines keeping her barely alive.

"Debbie, of course, was there as well. She told me that she'd been praying for my time. More time for Carrie, for herself and for Connie. I knew if those prayers weren't answered, Debbie might very well join her daughter."

Joely then went on to say she will stand by Carrie's 24-year-old daughter Billie Lourd and help her grieve for her beloved mother and grandmother.

She explained: "She would have wanted us to celebrate her life, her words and for Billie to be whole. In time she will be. She is smart and soulful and magic. My sister Tricia Leigh and I vow to be whatever our niece Billie needs us to be."

Joely then concluded by hinting that she's planning to write a book on Carrie in due course because she has so many wonderful memories she wants to share with fans.

She said: "You can't 'right' this s**t, but you can 'write' it. And do I have a hell of a book in me."