Rita Ora announces her grandmother has passed away

Rita Ora has announced her beloved grandmother has passed away. 

The singer, 29, took to Instagram on Saturday to share the news with her 16.1million followers as she penned a loving tribute.    

Rita wrote: ‘Dear Nani, you were the most glamorous chic hard working independent person I ever met, every day she would go for walks go and get her coffee with no help from anyone she didn’t want it.

‘She was so caring so strong and sooooo funny! My god did we laugh and when she would tell the truth she had no filter! 

‘But she loved and cared with all her heart. I’m going to miss you everyday. 

‘Rest in peace next to grandad and I know you will be protecting us. Try not to party to much up there I’ll get fomo [fear of missing out]! I love you nan. Xx’ (sic).

Rita’s mother Vera also took to Instagram, where she shared a video of a huge bouquet of flowers in consolation of her loss.

She wrote: ‘In remembrance of my mum #celebrating life #prayer #restinpeace’.  

Rita was born in Pristina, Kosovo to Albanian parents. 

Her maternal grandfather, Osman Bajraktari, was the Albanian consul to Russia (then part of the Soviet Union).

While her grandfather was a diplomat there, Ora’s mother Vera studied medicine at Moscow Medical Academy. She later specialised in psychiatry.

Vera has been working on the frontline in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.  

Earlier this week, Rita discussed her experience as a Kosovan refugee with her parents, sister Elena and brother Don in London. 

Her family left Kosovo for political reasons, because of the persecution of Albanians initiated with the disintegration of Yugoslavia. 

The singer took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a sweet childhood clip of herself playing in the park from July 1994, three years after her family left Pristina to start a new life in the English capital.  

The musician admitted she ‘had to witness certain things just so I could fit in’, but credited outdoor spaces for ‘being a place to feel free in’.

‘Hi guys. I guess the reason for this post is to show you guys when I was little in the summer of July 1994’, the singer started her post. 

On being a fan of the camera at a young age, the Masked Singer judge added: ‘I guess I just felt free watching this and wanted to share.  

‘Why did I love the camera so much! Even as a kid! I hope this makes you smile, just watching a life of a young carefree kid. This is what everyone deserves, a chance to have a good life and an opportunity to be happy. 

‘The simple things of feeling safe going to a park eating an ice cream BEING A CAREFREE KID. Those are the memories we cherish. These are the moments that build us to who we become as adults.’ 

The media personality went on to detail being bullied as a child due to her background.

She shared: ‘Let’s give people an incredible environment to be a kid in and grow in. When my parents decided to move to England from Kosovo it was hard. 

‘I remember I had to see and witness certain things just so I could fit in, just so the refugee girl can cooperate with the girls in the skipping rope game in the playground (that’s what I used to call it!), but when I was in that park I was free.’ 

The artist ended her post by insisting we’re all ‘one race’ as she wrote: ‘Racism, how immigrants and refugees are treated! We can’t be justified by the colour of our skin or where we are from, we are one race. 

‘The human race. Anyway I love you guys, that’s just my 2 cents. I hope you smile today. Give kids a place to feel free in. Thank you. Yours forever Rita. ❤️ ‘ [sic]

Her mother Vera threw her support behind the songstress’ message as she commented: ‘Carefree children are born happy and precious until unfairly labelled !’ (sic)