Liam Payne Laid to Rest by Family and Friends in Private Funeral Ceremony in England

Late One Direction alum Liam Payne was laid to rest by his family and friends at a private funeral on Wednesday, November 20.

Before the funeral began, Liam’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, was photographed outside of the church. Meanwhile, Girls Aloud singers Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh were also pictured wearing black coats and sunglasses while arriving at the church. Former One Direction members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson were also all in attendance.

The former boybander’s funeral took place days after it was announced that his body would be transported from Argentina to the U.K. 

“All the documents are ready for the former One Direction singer to return to his homeland so a funeral can take place there next week,” Argentinian outlet daily La Nacion reported. “When Geoff Payne reached Argentina on October 18 he was told the repatriation process could take between four and five days, but because of the circumstances surrounding his son’s death things took longer than expected.”

In Touch later learned that his body was moved from a Buenos Aires morgue to a British cemetery founded in the 1800s after Liam’s dad, Geoff Payne, was given permission to take his son’s body home.

Liam died after falling from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16. After receiving a call from hotel staff, authorities arrived at CasaSur Palermo to find the singer already deceased. 

A hotel staff member reported an “aggressive man possibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” noting there was concern that he may be a danger to himself or others. Liam – who was 31 years old at the time of his death – sustained “very serious injuries” as a result of his fall and fractured his skull, In Touch confirmed.

Buenos Aires emergency services chief Alberto Crescenti revealed the singer’s injuries were “incompatible with life.” 

Liam’s autopsy report later revealed the “What Makes You Beautiful” singer had multiple drugs in his system at the time of his death, including a drug called “pink cocaine” – a powdered cocktail of drugs that typically includes ecstasy, ketamine, caffeine and a psychedelic drug known as 2-CB. He also had cocaine, benzodiazepine and crack in his system.

Liam was in Argentina with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, as the couple had traveled to South America to support his former bandmate Niall Horan at his concert on October 2. Liam and Kate, 25, arrived in Buenos Aires on September 30 for what was supposed to be a five day getaway. 

However, after two weeks in the country Kate was anxious to get home to Miami and left solo on October 14, two days before Liam’s death. 

“I have been at a complete loss. Nothing about the past few days have felt real. I ask and pray that you’ll give me the grace and space to navigate this in private,” she shared via her Instagram Story on October 18. “Liam, my angel. You are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam.”