One Direction members gather to mourn Liam Payne at his funeral

The former members of the boy band One Direction were among the mourners at the funeral of their bandmate and friend Liam Payne on Wednesday, just over a month after the singer died aged 31.

Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson joined Payne’s family and friends for the private church service in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, northwest of London.

Payne’s former partner, fellow pop star Cheryl, with whom he has a son now aged 7, 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.

Zayn Malik walks after the funeral service for One Direction singer Liam Payne at Saint Mary’s Church in Amersham, U.K., Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo)
His coffin arrived at the church in a white carriage drawn by two white horses and adorned with floral tributes spelling the words “Son” and “Daddy.”

Attendees included Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy, actor and TV host James Corden and Simon Cowell, the music mogul who created One Direction for Britain’s X Factor talent show.

The group was 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 “What Makes You Beautiful,” “Live While We’re Young,” “Best Song Ever” and “Story of My Life.”

Fan Victoria Horwood, 28, speaking outside the church, said she had followed Payne since he appeared on X Factor and she was shaken by his death. “I just wanted to pay my respects,” she said.

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.

Harry Styles departs after the funeral of former One Direction singer Liam Payne at Saint Mary’s Church in Amersham, near London, U.K., Nov. 20, 2024. (Reuters Photo)
“Don’t get me wrong, we had the best time ever but there were moments where … you don’t realize you have a choice at that point,” he said in 2021. “There is a sacrifice for that.”

Payne launched a solo career after One Direction split in 2016 and he released a debut album in 2019.

Argentine authorities have charged three people in connection with Payne’s death after an autopsy revealed traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system when he died.

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