Former One Direction Members Among Mourners at Liam Payne’s Private Funeral
Mourners gathered on Wednesday for the private funeral of former One Direction member Liam Payne, who died in Argentina on Oct. 16 aged 31.
Fellow bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan were in attendance at the service, held at an undisclosed location not far from London, alongside family and close friends of the late singer. Malik decided to reschedule dates on his U.K. tour — set to start this week — so he could make the service. Simon Cowell, who first formed and signed the band on X Factor in 2010, as well as presenter James Corden, were also present.
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Payne died following a third-floor balcony fall at his hotel in Buenos Aires last month, sustaining internal and external bleeding and multiple traumatic injuries.
The incident shocked the music world and beyond, with the four band members coming together to pay tribute to Payne on social media in the days after his death. “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing,” Styles, Tomlinson, Malik and Horan wrote in a joint post on One Direction’s Instagram. “We will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.” The four also took to their individual social media accounts to post personalized tributes.
In a short statement following his death, Liam’s family said: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.”
One Direction formed on the U.K. X-Factor in 2010 and placed third in the competition. They went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, achieving hit songs including “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Story of My Life,” “Little Things” and “Steal My Girl.” One Direction released five albums, Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home (2012), Midnight Memories (2013), Four (2014) and Made in the A.M. (2015).
The star’s solo endeavors saw him hit the charts with singles “Strip That Down” and “Bedroom Floor.” He shares a son with former X Factor judge Cheryl Cole, Bear. His girlfriend at the time of his death, Kate Cassidy, was also in attendance at Wednesday’s funeral.
The death of Payne, who was under the influence of narcotics at the time of the fatal fall, has led to the arrest of a hotel staffer and an alleged local drug dealer. They were taken into custody, according to local news outlet La Nacion, and authorities have gained access to an Argentine businessman’s home as part of the investigation.
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