Hundreds Mourn Heath Ledger in Australia

Originally posted Friday February 08, 2008 09:15 PM EST

Michelle Williams, Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger's family joined hundreds of mourners at a memorial in Australia for the actor.

"It's a pretty sad time. We're finding it difficult to cope," Ledger's father Kim said Saturday morning, local time, before heading to the memorial at Penrhos College, a boarding school in the Perth suburb of Como.

Kim Ledger said the family was also planning an intimate funeral.

"The funeral will be very, very private," he said. "There will only be 10 people there, which is my immediate family and nobody else."

At the memorial, Williams and Heath's family arrived in a fleet of black BMWs. Wearing sunglasses and appearing grief-stricken, Williams held the hand of Ledger's sister Kate as they walked into the school about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, local time. Ledger's parents arrived afterward – first mother Sally Ledger Bell, with her husband roger Bell, then father Kim Ledger and his wife Ines.

Matilda, Heath's 2-year-old daughter with Williams, was not seen among the mourners.

At least 300 people attended the service, including model – and close Heath friend – Gemma Ward – Australian actors Blanchett and Bryan Brown and Australian Rules football stars Ben Cousins and David Wirrpanda, both friends of Heath's.

Ledger, 28, died of an accidental mixture of prescription drugs, the coroner says.