One Direction stars join mourners at Liam Payne鈥檚 funeral
AMERSHAM, England 鈥 The former members of boy band One Direction were among the mourners at the funeral of their band mate Liam Payne on Wednesday, just over a month after the singer died aged 31.
Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson joined Mr. Payne鈥檚 family and friends for the private church service in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, northwest of London.
Mr. Payne鈥檚 former partner, fellow pop star Cheryl, with whom he had a son now aged seven, was photographed leaving the service.
The singer and songwriter was found dead after he fell from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, triggering an outpouring of grief from fans around the world.
His coffin arrived at the church in a white carriage drawn by two white horses and adorned with floral tributes spelling the words 鈥淪on鈥 and 鈥淒addy.鈥
Attendees included Mr. Payne鈥檚 girlfriend Kate Cassidy, actor and TV host James Corden, and Simon Cowell, the music mogul who created One Direction for Britain鈥檚 X Factor talent show.
The group were catapulted to global fame in the 2010s after appearing on the show and they went on to become one of the best selling boy bands of all time.
With their tousled hair and youthful charm, the band members became teen idols through hit singles like 鈥淲hat Makes You Beautiful,鈥 鈥淟ive While We鈥檙e Young,鈥 鈥淏est Song Ever,鈥 and 鈥淪tory of My Life.鈥
Mr. Payne, who was still a teenager when One Direction found global success, struggled with the pressures of fame, and he later spoke about his problems with alcohol.
鈥淒on鈥檛 get me wrong, we had the best time ever but there were moments where… you don鈥檛 realize you have a choice at that point,鈥 he said in 2021. 鈥淭here is a sacrifice for that.鈥
He launched a solo career after One Direction split in 2016 and he released a debut album in 2019.
Argentine authorities have in connection with Mr. Payne鈥檚 death after an autopsy revealed traces of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system when he died. 鈥 Reuters
