The music world is in mourning following the tragic news that Liam Payne, a beloved member of One Direction, has died.
At 31 years old, Liam met a tragic end after falling from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur hotel in Argentina, sustaining injuries so severe that he reportedly died almost instantly. England became the solemn gathering place for his loved ones as they arranged to repatriate his body, which was delayed due to an ongoing investigation into the circumstances of his death, for a private funeral service.
The intimate ceremony in Buckinghamshire saw the assembly of his former One Direction colleagues, along with their erstwhile mentor Simon Cowell, who guided them to stardom on The X Factor in 2011. Simon, aged 65, appeared hand-in-hand with Lauren Silverman, his partner and mother to his child, both garbed in respectful black attire. Simon was seen in a suit and turtleneck sweater, while Lauren chose a sleek blazer and trousers.
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Despite their somber ensembles, complete with sunglasses, not everyone deemed their presence at the ceremony appropriate. Voices of dissent erupted on X, a social media platform formerly known as Twitter, where fans openly criticized the America’s Got Talent judge for attending Liam’s send-off.
Simon Cowell attended Liam’s funeral with his wife Lauren Silverman (
(Image: Getty))
Simon was comforted by Liam’s father at the service (
WireImage)
An upset user going by @ellbu_ expressed: “Simon Cowell shouldn’t be at Liam Payne’s funeral js,” echoed by @Catie_Lm’s questioning, “Why is he there.”
Anger also came from @SaemHere, who simply stated: “the audacity, while @LUNARP0W3R vehemently referred to Simon as “he shouldn’t be there that f—— disgusting rat.”
All four members of One Direction, including Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, were seen arriving to pay their respects at the heartbreaking funeral of a close friend. The parents of the deceased, Geoff and Karen, were also photographed at the solemn event, preparing to say their final goodbyes to their “special” son. At the funeral, Simon was seen being comforted by Geoff as the father of three wrapped a supportive arm around Simon while they mourned their shared loss.