Liam Payne’s funeral is expected to take place in the coming days in his native Wolverhampton, with the service likely to be a private affair for family and friends
Following the return of his body to England last week, the funeral for late One Direction star Liam Payne is set to take place in the coming days. The 31-year-old singer tragically passed away in Argentina last month after falling from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
Three individuals have since been charged in relation to his death. Liam, who shot to fame on The X Factor as a young man, suffered “serious injuries that were incompatible with life”, and an investigation into his untimely passing is still underway.
Officials confirmed the arrests of three suspects shortly after Liam’s body was released to his devastated family last week. The flight bringing Liam home became the most-tracked flight ever, as millions of fans worldwide continue to grieve the loss of the beloved father-of-one.
Where will Liam’s funeral be held?
Upon hearing the tragic news, Liam’s father, Geoff Payne, flew to Argentina and stayed until his son’s body was cleared to return home. The grieving father arrived at London Heathrow at 7:49 am on Thursday morning, with countless fans monitoring his flight, reports the Mirror.
The sheer number of people tracking the plane made it the most tracked aircraft globally. Mourning fans have begun paying their tributes outside St.
Peter’s Collegiate Church in central Wolverhampton. Over the past few days, One Direction fans have started leaving flowers and heartfelt handwritten notes beside the Lady Wulfrun statue outside the church.
While the specifics are still under wraps, it’s rumored that Liam’s funeral will be held in his hometown of Wolverhampton this week. The singer’s final farewell is likely to take place at either St.
Peter’s or St Paul’s Church in Pendeford, near where he grew up. An insider told Mail Online: “Liam will have a very big send-off, quite probably at a large cathedral somewhere close to his heart. Liam was so loved by so many people, there will obviously be enormous demand and so the service will necessarily be a huge affair.”
Regarding whether fans can attend Liam Payne’s funeral, social media users are calling for respect for the family’s privacy and advising against attending the private ceremony. A TikTok video that went viral features a fan urging others: “Your friendly reminder that if you’re thinking of going to Liam Payne’s funeral to look at One Direction members-don’t! “.
The same fan emphasized the need for respect during this difficult time, saying: “I’m begging you all to remember Liam Payne was a human and his family and friends are going through a hard enough time without having to cater to the public,” and added in her post’s caption, “They deserve to say goodbye to him with grace.”
Sources for Radar Online suggest the ceremony will include “series of song tributes from some very big acts” to honor his passion for music, and his family wishes to add a special musical touch to the service.
While the late singer’s fans are not invited to the funeral, thousands are expected to line the streets of Wolverhampton as the hearse passes through the city. Following the tragic news, fans of the singer launched a petition calling for legislation to protect the mental health of artists in the entertainment industry.
The petition, initiated on Change.org by a fan of the late father-of-one, aims to “implore lawmakers to create legislation safeguarding the mental health of artists within the industry”. To date, over 135,000 individuals have signed the online document, advocating for “Liam’s Law”.
This law would require “regular mental health check-ups, adequate rest periods and the presence of mental health professionals on-set, including any ongoing support during their career”. Who will attend Liam Payne’s funeral?
Liam’s One Direction bandmates, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik are expected to attend Liam’s funeral this week, with a whole host of other household names joining the band and Liam’s grieving family and friends as they lay the dad-of-one to rest.
Kate Cassidy, Liam’s girlfriend at the time of his death, is also thought to be attending. Cheryl Tweedy, mother to Liam’s seven year old son Bear Payne, will likely be another guest at the private family funeral.
The Girls Aloud singer, 41, is faced having to make a heartbreaking decision over whether to take her young son to his father’s funeral.
Liam’s star-studded circle of friends, including James Corden, Simon Cowell, Nicole Scherzinger, Dermot O’Leary and Rita Ora – who recently honored her late collaborator at the MTV EMAs – are believed to have shared close bonds with Liam and are therefore expected to be on the guest list.