One Direction star Liam Payne laid to rest after emotional funeral service
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Liam Payne, the former One Direction member, was buried in a private ceremony attended by his family and ex-bandmates, a month after he passed away at the age of 31.
Payne, who gained popularity in 2010 as part of the most significant pop band since The Beatles, passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16 after he fell from the balcony of his hotel room on the third floor.
His funeral was held on Wednesday, November 20, at St Mary’s Church in Buckinghamshire. Before the service began, flower garlands and wreaths were displayed at the entrance, while fans and local residents came together outside to honor his memory.
One of the earliest attendees to express her condolences was Payne's girlfriend, American influencer Kate Cassidy, who was seen entering the church alongside model Damian Hurley, the son of Elizabeth Hurley.
Payne's bandmate from One Direction, Harry Styles, showed up in a BMW alongside his friend, TV host and actor James Corden. Meanwhile, other members of 1D, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, arrived on their own.
Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh, members of the girl group Girls Aloud, were seen outside the church dressed in long dark coats and sunglasses. They are bandmates of Cheryl, who used to date Payne and is the mother of his son Bear.
Music industry powerhouse Simon Cowell, who launched the reality show The X Factor that led to the formation of One Direction in 2010, was seen arriving alongside his fiancée, Lauren Silverman.
A hush descended among the spectators as a horse-drawn carriage came to a stop outside the church, carrying a deep blue coffin adorned with silver handles and topped with white roses.
Atop the carriage, there was a red floral arrangement with the word "son" displayed on it, along with a blue arrangement that read "daddy," both sent by Payne's son, Bear.
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Geoff and Karen Payne stood by the hearse as their son's casket was brought into the church.
After the service concluded, guests were spotted departing from the venue. Cowell was photographed sharing a hug with Payne’s parents while the coffin was carefully loaded into the hearse and driven away.
After the announcement of Payne’s passing, his former One Direction bandmates paid tribute to him, describing him as a “positive, funny, and kind person” who was “a remarkable songwriter with a fantastic sense of melody.”
"I'm incredibly grateful to have had you in my life, but saying goodbye is proving to be really difficult for me," Tomlinson expressed in a post on his Instagram.
"I’m truly thankful that our bond has deepened since our time in the band. Talking for hours over the phone and recalling all those incredible moments we've shared feels like a priceless gift that I hoped would last forever. I really wish I had the opportunity to say goodbye and express once more how much you meant to me."
Malik reached out to his ex-bandmate, who he sometimes clashed with, describing him as “strong-willed and full of opinions.” He mentioned that he “never had the chance to express my gratitude for the support he gave me during some of the toughest moments in my life.”
“I lost a brother when you departed, and I can't express how much I wish I could hold you close just once more, to say a proper farewell. I wanted you to know how much I loved and respected you,” he shared.
"I will hold on to all the moments we've shared in my heart for eternity. I can't find the words to express how I'm feeling—it's beyond words, and I'm completely heartbroken. I truly hope that wherever you are, you are doing well and at peace, and you understand just how much you are loved. Love you, my friend."
Payne, who hails from Wolverhampton, England, first took the stage as a participant on the reality TV show The X Factor in 2008. However, he received feedback from Simon Cowell, one of the judges and the show's creator, suggesting he should return in two years. When he came back in 2010, he was grouped with Styles, Horan, Malik, and Tomlinson to form the band One Direction.
What happened next was a whirlwind of excitement from fans and the media that reminded many of the intense craze seen during the height of Beatlemania. One Direction, often abbreviated as "1D," has sold over 70 million records globally and is now regarded as one of the most successful boybands in music history. They released a total of five albums, starting with their first one, Up All Night, in 2011, and received numerous accolades, including seven Brit Awards and four MTV Video Music Awards.
Payne described his time in One Direction as feeling similar to university, but eventually he shared his struggles with burnout and feeling trapped. He mentioned to The Telegraph, "It felt like cabin fever." He admitted that it made him feel a bit lost at times. He recalled an incident when there were 10,000 fans outside their hotel, which meant they couldn't go anywhere. Their routine became just moving from concert to hotel and back again. It was hard to rest because the fans were always outside.
Following the breakup of the band in 2016, all five members embarked on their individual musical journeys. Payne dropped his debut single “Strip That Down,” which he co-wrote with Ed Sheeran. This track was the first from his only solo album, LP1, an R&B-oriented project that came out in 2019.
His most recent single, "Teardrops," came out earlier this year.
Payne is remembered by his parents, his two elder sisters, and his seven-year-old son, Bear.
