One Direction Star Liam Payne Laid to Rest in Private Ceremony in UK
A private funeral service was held today in an undisclosed location outside of London for Liam Payne, the former One Direction singer who died last month at the age of 31, CNN reports.
Close family and his former bandmates were in attendance to remember the musician.
Payne’s death on October 16th in Buenos Aires, Argentina, was ruled accidental following a fall from a third-floor hotel. Argentine authorities reported the presence of alcohol, cocaine, and a prescription antidepressant in his system at the time of his death, and three individuals are facing preliminary charges related to the incident.
Payne had been open about his struggles with substance abuse and mental health. He celebrated six months of sobriety earlier this year following treatment at a US facility, but later postponed a tour due to a kidney infection.
He is survived by his seven-year-old son, Bear, whom he shared with singer Cheryl Tweedy. The couple separated in 2018 but remained committed to co-parenting.
Payne achieved global stardom as a member of One Direction, the hugely successful boy band formed on the British television show The X Factor in 2010. Following an indefinite hiatus in 2016, he and his fellow band members – Zayn Malik, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson – pursued successful solo careers.
The remaining members of One Direction released a joint statement on Instagram expressing their devastation at Payne’s passing.
“We will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly,” the statement read. “The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
