Cheryl faced an incredibly tough day as she attended the funeral of Liam Payne on Wednesday, alongside a host of stars including One Direction members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan, to say their goodbyes. The pop star tragically died after falling from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on October 16.
Cheryl, who was in a relationship with Liam from 2016 to 2018 and shares son Bear with him, joined the Payne family—parents Geoff and Karen, sisters Ruth and Nicola—and her Girls Aloud bandmates Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh, all mourning at the service which she played a part in organising. It's understood that Liam's family were determined to ensure he had the most honourable and "perfect" farewell.
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Despite their past separation, Cheryl and Liam remained tight-knit co-parents of their child, whose privacy they've fiercely protected by keeping his face out of the public eye. A vision of sorrow at the funeral, Cheryl made one last heartrending vow to Liam for their son Bear, while clad in an expensive Liberowe coat and concealing her pain behind chic sunglasses.
Friends report she is "devastated" by the loss of her ex-partner.
In a heart-wrenching decision, Cheryl made the choice to have her son attend his father's funeral, despite grappling with whether it was the right thing for him, according to the Mirror. Ultimately, Cheryl felt it was crucial for Bear to bid farewell to his dad, Liam, surrounded by their loved ones and close friends, reports OK!.
The emotional toll of planning the funeral was evident in the floral arrangements at Liam's burial. A friend revealed to MailOnline that Cheryl has pledged that Bear will always remember his father.
This vow comes as the magnitude of Bear's loss became apparent when Liam's coffin arrived at the church in a horse-drawn carriage adorned with two floral tributes, one reading "son" and another from Bear saying "Daddy". Friends of the singer shared that Cheryl is "dreadfully sad", adding: "She has her own grief, but she also has a little boy who won't see his daddy again, and that is just heartbreaking," After Liam's passing, Cheryl paid tribute to him on Instagram, sharing with fans the harsh reality of never seeing his father again
Posting a photo of Liam and Bear, Cheryl expressed: "As I try to navigate this earth shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I'd like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being."
"Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again."
In a touching send-off, the singer's coffin was brought to the church by a horse-drawn hearse, with mourners and fans lining the streets. Liam's former One Direction bandmates were among those present, showing their solidarity.
The funeral attracted a slew of celebrities including James Corden, Rochelle and Marvin Humes, Simon Cowell, Robbie Keane, Damian Hurley, and Liam's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, all coming together to pay their respects.
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