Friends, family and former bandmates of One Direction star Liam Payne came together on Wednesday to pay the final tribute to the British singer at his funeral in Buckinghamshire, England. Mr Payne died at age 31 last month after falling from a hotel room in Argentina’s Buenos Aires.
Among the mourners at the private service at St Mary’s Church in Amersham, just outside London, were Payne’s former bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik and Louis Tomlinson.
Former One Direction band member Harry Styles at the funeral service of Liam Payne (AFP)
The late singer’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy also attended the service, as did his former partner, the Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy, with whom he shares 7-year-old son Bear.
Kate Cassidy (2L) and model Damian Hurley (2R) at the funeral service of Liam Payne (AFP)
Payne’s coffin arrived in a white horse-drawn hearse topped with floral tributes spelling the words “Son” and “Daddy” followed by his parents, while several dozen fans and onlookers lined a quaint street. The members of the public stood silently as they observed the arriving guests.
Pallbearers carry the coffin of Liam Payne, ahead of his funeral service (AFP)
Guests were seen hugging each other before walking past floral tributes into the 12th-century church to pay their final respects to the singer.
Flowers are carried into the church ahead of the funeral service of Payne (AFP)
Payne was found dead on October 16 after falling from the balcony of his third-floor room at the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentinian capital. He died from “multiple traumas” and “internal and external haemorrhaging”, a post-mortem examination found. Investigators have said he was alone at the time of his death and appeared to have been “going through an episode of substance abuse”.
Former One Direction band member Zayn Malik (L) at the funeral service of Liam Payne (AFP)
The singer’s death prompted an outpouring of grief from family, former bandmates and fans across global, with thousands gathering in cities around the world to offer condolences.
In a short statement following his death, Payne’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.”
Former One Direction band member Niall Horan at the funeral service of Liam Payne (AFP Photo)
One Direction said they had been “completely devastated” by his death.
Payne was born and raised in Wolverhampton, in central England. He is survived by his parents, two sisters and a son with Cheryl Tweedy. He shot to stardom as a teenager alongside Mr Styles, Mr Horan, Mr Tomlinson and Mr Malik after they formed the band ‘One Direction’ on the hit UK talent show “The X Factor” 14 years ago.
A mourner carries an order of service as they leave after attending the funeral service of Liam Payne (AFP)
After forming in 2010, the band went on to release an album of radio-ready songs each year in time for the holiday shopping season and became one of the highest-grossing live acts in the world. In 2016, after Mr Malik left, the group said it was on an indefinite hiatus but not splitting up.
Payne’s first solo single “Strip That Down” peaked at number three on the UK charts and number 10 on the US Billboard top songs list. His last solo work, a single called “Teardrops”, was released in March, with a second album promised at the time.
In recent years he had spoken publicly about struggles with substance abuse and coping with fame from an early age.
