LONDON, England – The biggest gathering in central London during the Michael Jackson memorial service was not to pay tribute to the King of Pop - but another icon of popular culture.

The biggest gathering in London during the Michael Jackson memorial service was to celebrate another pop culture icon - Harry Potter.

Fans of all ages massed in celebration of “Harry Potter” at the premiere of the sixth movie in the series "The Half-Blood Prince."

Some of the most fervent camped out all night, then braved showers and hail to snare the perfect position next to their idols on the red carpet at Leicester Square, home to London movie premieres.

There was little evidence of Michael Jackson's memorial service, which was going on almost simultaneously in LA - and several Potter fans said it was not a hard choice to make.

“No contest, it’s Harry Potter,” Megan Southey, 38, from Bournemouth, southern England told CNN. “You know, his funeral will carry on. I can watch it on TV later.”

Although most people said they were fans of Jackson’s music, the overarching feeling among the crowd was that events in Jackson’s later life had overshadowed his talents.

“I liked him when he was younger, probably,” said Vicky McKinley, 52, from Chicago. “Then later on, I didn’t like some of the stuff he was doing. All the plastic surgery and that kind of stuff.”

Catherine, 18, from Bromley near London echoed her sentiments saying, “I think he was a bit before my time, and all we’ve known him for are controversial issues.”

“He wasn’t so much famous for his music, he was famous for other things like holding the baby out of the window and stuff,” added her friend Emily, 18.

“I’ve got mixed feelings. He was very strange in later life,” said Amelia Robinson, 15 from New Hampshire in the U.S.

Of course, for younger fans like 19-year-old Faith Bradley from Cambridge, Harry Potter inhabits a place in pop culture that Michael Jackson holds for people who grew up in the 1980s.

“We’ve grown up with Harry Potter,” Bradley added.