Liam Payne’s former One Direction bandmates came together on Wednesday to bid farewell to their friend. Over a month after his tragic death at 31, following a fall from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, his former bandmates – Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan – gathered at St. Mary’s Church in Amersham, England for a private funeral service.
Photos shared by TMZ captured the former band members arriving at the church dressed in all black for the ceremony, which was exclusively for family and close friends, according to the Daily Mail. In addition to the One Direction members, Simon Cowell, who famously formed the group on The X Factor in 2010, attended with his fiancée, Lauren Silverman. Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, as well as his parents, Geoff and Karen, were also there. The New York Post also reported that James Corden was seen arriving at the memorial. Although details of the service have not been disclosed, TMZ reported that Payne’s coffin was transported in a horse-drawn carriage.
A horse-drawn carriage carrying the coffin of Liam Payne arrives for the funeral service of One Direction singer at St Mary’s Church in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. Picture date: Wednesday November 20, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images)
The private ceremony took place a month after Payne’s death and two weeks after his father brought the singer’s body back from Argentina, where he passed away on October 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Hotel. An autopsy revealed that the singer died from multiple injuries and external trauma, with authorities determining that his injuries were neither the result of self-harm nor foul play. Officials do not suspect the fall was intentional. It was reported that Payne had several substances in his system, including “pink cocaine,” and the investigation concluded that he “was not fully conscious or was experiencing a significant decrease in consciousness at the time of the fall.”
Three people have been arrested in connection with Payne’s death: a hotel employee, an alleged drug supplier, and a person linked to narcotics distribution. Public prosecutor Andrés Madrea stated that illicit activity was uncovered during the investigation, leading to charges of abandonment resulting in death, and narcotics supply and facilitation against the three individuals.
After his passing, Payne’s former One Direction bandmates issued a joint statement, expressing their sorrow: “We are completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, 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.”
