Family members, cherished friends, and avid fans of Liam Payne have convened to celebrate the life and legacy of the beloved star. On November 20, Wednesday, the heartbroken girlfriend of the deceased singer, Kate Cassidy, alongside his former One Direction bandmates – Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan – gathered in a 12th-century church nestled in the picturesque English countryside northwest of London, to bid a fond farewell to Payne, who tragically passed away on October 16 at the tender age of 31.
Also in attendance was Cheryl, the ex-partner of the musician and member of Girls Aloud, who shared a seven-year-old son, Bear Grey, with Payne. Among the mourners were also Payne's close friend James Corden and the co-creator of One Direction, Simon Cowell, who played a pivotal role in launching the band's career on The X Factor in 2010. Cowell was accompanied by his fiancée, Lauren Silverman.
Payne's life was cut short when he plummeted from a multi-story balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. On November 7, a press statement issued by the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 14 revealed that toxicology tests conducted on the late One Direction member's body detected traces of "alcohol, cocaine, and prescription antidepressants."
The prosecutors further stated in the release that "self-harm of any kind and/or physical intervention by third parties were conclusively eliminated" as contributing factors to his untimely demise. A forensic doctor determined that Payne's death was caused by "multiple trauma" and "internal and external hemorrhage" stemming from the fall, according to the statement.
Moreover, the prosecutors concluded that at the time of the fatal incident, the singer of "Strip That Down" was either "not fully conscious or experiencing a noticeable decrease or loss of consciousness."
On October 23rd, Geoff Payne, the father of the late Liam Payne, had ventured to Argentina to collaborate with authorities in unraveling the mysteries surrounding his son's untimely demise. Upon examining Liam's hotel room after his passing, Buenos Aires police discovered it to be in a state of utter disarray. Moments prior to his tragic fall from the balcony, hotel personnel hastily contacted emergency services, relaying in a frantic 911 call that the singer had been engaging in a rampage, tearing the room apart, according to officials.
A close confidant of Liam's girlfriend, Cassidy, a 25-year-old who attended his funeral alongside friend Damian Hurley, revealed to PEOPLE that Liam's erratic behavior had intensified shortly after she departed their vacation. "The Snapchat videos speak volumes; he was a transformed person in her presence," the insider confided after Liam's death.
In the wake of his passing, producer Sam Pounds initially announced plans to release Liam's first posthumous song, titled "Do No Wrong." However, out of profound respect for Liam's family, he subsequently rescinded this decision. "Today, I've decided to hold off on 'Do No Wrong' and entrust the liberty to Liam's family members. I desire that all proceeds be donated to a charity of their choosing," he penned in a poignant post on X (formerly known as Twitter). Pounds further stated, "Despite our collective love for the song, it's simply not the right time. We are all still grieving Liam's departure, and I yearn for his family to mourn in peace and solace. We shall await patiently."
Liam was also slated to appear as a guest judge on Netflix's forthcoming music competition series, Building the Band. Following his sudden demise, the fate of the show, which boasts Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and AJ McLean as hosts, hangs in the balance. A source confided in PEOPLE that the series producers were utterly shocked by the news, noting that Liam had been thoroughly fulfilled by the experience and was eager to continue collaborating with bands even beyond the production's conclusion.
"Liam seemed genuinely elated to be on set. He looked healthy, smiling broadly as he interacted with fans, signing autographs, and engaging in lively chats between takes," recounted a PEOPLE staffer who was present on set in late August. "He was truly enjoying himself, immersed in what he loved, and exhibited no hints of any underlying troubles."
