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LOS ANGELES - A glittering gold-plated casket carried Michael Jackson on his final journey Tuesday as a worldwide audience in the hundreds of millions paid an emotional farewell to the tragic King of Pop.

Live updates: Paalam, Michael Jackson: The ABS-CBN Live Coverage

A day of somber but star-studded ceremonies for the music superstar got underway shortly after 8:15 am (1515 GMT) as Jackson's family gathered for a private service at a picturesque mortuary in the Hollywood Hills.

As the ceremony ended, pallbearers carrying Jackson's golden casket swathed with red flowers emerged and loaded it into a black hearse, under the watchful eye of mourners and around 20 media helicopters hovering overhead.

A motorcade of luxury vehicles then made a stately procession to the 20,000-capacity Staples Center, where family, friends and celebrities rubbed shoulders with ordinary fans who had won tickets via an online lottery.

The service got underway with soul legend Smokey Robinson reading letters of condolence from stars and world leaders unable to attend, which included a tribute from former South African president Nelson Mandela.

"Michael was a giant and a legend in the music industry. And we mourn with the millions of fans worldwide," Mandela's tribute read.

Motown diva Diana Ross meanwhile -- named by Jackson in his will as an alternative guardian to his children -- said she had chosen to mourn privately.

"Michael was a personal love of mine, a treasured part of my world, part of the fabric of my life," Ross's tribute said. "Michael wanted me to be there for his children, and I will be there if they ever need me."

Mourners arriving at the venue were greeted with a glossy commemorative brochure which chronicled Jackson's life and times and carried heart-felt tributes to the star from his family.

"God has now called for you to come home, collect your wings and to fulfill your demands in heaven and continue your magic amongst the angels," sister La Toya Jackson wrote. "Keep the magic going!"

Exact details of the service have been kept under wraps but organizers have confirmed that Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey and Oscar-winner Jennifer Hudson were among the stars due to participate.

Reports said the service would conclude with a rendition of "We Are the World", the single Jackson co-wrote in 1985 with Lionel Richie to help raise funds for famine-relief efforts in Africa.

Outside the Staples Center an additional 1,400 police officers were on duty to provide security, while several city blocks surrounding the venue were sealed sealed off for hours beforehand.

Organizers had appealed to ticketless fans to watch the event on television, fearing chaos if hundreds of thousands take to the streets but huge crowds had failed to materialize early Tuesday.

A live feed of the service was being made available free to television networks, while the event was being streamed via social networking websites Facebook and MySpace, officials said.

Excitement was building around the world, as fans gathered to sing Jackson's greatest hits and watch his famous music videos ahead of the event.

In Tokyo, hundreds of fans flocked to Tower Records in the fashionable Shibuya shopping district for a series of free viewings of Jackson's videos.

In Australia, fans in Melbourne were expected to brave both the pre-dawn darkness and icy temperatures to watch the memorial on a giant television screen set up in the city's central plaza, Federation Square.

US President Barack Obama meanwhile told CNN in an interview from Russia said Jackson was "one of the greatest entertainers of our generation."

"I think like Elvis, like (Frank) Sinatra, like the Beatles, he became a core part of our culture," Obama said, acknowledging the "tragedy" that was a part of the singer's life.

"His extraordinary talent and his music was matched with a big dose of tragedy, and difficulty in his private life," Obama said. "I don't think we can ignore that, but it's important for us to affirm what was best in him."

Jackson, 50, sold more than 750 million albums during a four-decade career that was ultimately overshadowed by repeated allegations of child abuse, his startling physical transformation and eccentric behavior.

While all eyes were on Jackson's memorial Tuesday, both local and federal law enforcement agencies continued to probe the circumstances of his June 25 death.

An autopsy was carried out on Jackson's body the day after his death, but the Los Angeles County Coroner's office has said it will not issue a final cause of death for "several weeks" when the results of exhaustive toxicology tests are known.

Lawyers meanwhile are busy untangling the labyrinth of legal issues that have emerged in the aftermath of Jackson's death.

On Monday, a Los Angeles judge replaced Jackson's mother as temporary administrator of his estate with two of the pop icon's business associates, as instructed by a 2002 will.