Liam Payne’s remains have been transported to his native England, Us Weekly can confirm.
Payne’s body was flown on a flight from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to London on Wednesday, November 6, a source tells Us. The former One Direction singer died last month in Buenos Aires after falling to his death from a third-floor hotel balcony.
While Payne’s father, Geoff, flew to Argentina to identify his son’s body and arrange for transport back across the pond, the process was delayed as local authorities conducted an investigation. Once toxicological and histopathological tests were concluded, the local morgue released Payne’s remains to Geoff, according to the Argentinian Clarin newspaper. Geoff arrived home to England on the morning of Thursday, November 7.
A source later confirmed to Us on Saturday, November 2, that Payne’s body was transferred to the British Cemetery in Chacarita to begin the embalming process before the flight to London. Once Payne’s remains arrive in the U.K., his loved ones will pay their respects during a funeral service.
Ahead of his death, Payne and girlfriend Kate Cassidy traveled to Argentina for a vacation. Cassidy, 25, left the country several days ahead of Payne’s death. On October 16, news broke that the “Teardrops” singer fell to his death from a hotel balcony.
A preliminary autopsy viewed by Us at the time revealed that Payne died on the scene from “multiple injuries involving ‘internal and external hemorrhage’” and was in “a state of semi or total unconsciousness” at the time of the fall.
Payne, who struggled with addiction since One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016 and went to rehab in 2023, also had multiple drugs in his system at the time of his death, including “pink cocaine.”
Payne is survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen, his two older sisters and his 7-year-old son, Bear Grey. (Payne shared his only child with ex Cheryl Cole.)
“We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul,” his family told the BBC in a statement at the time. “We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
Liam’s sisters, Ruth and Nicola, also addressed their younger sibling’s passing in respective social media messages.
“Thank you for changing my life, thank you for the incredible memories, thank you for being the best brother and friend I’ll ever have,” Ruth wrote via Instagram. “We’ll take care of Bear and he will always know how incredible his dad is and how much you idolize him.”
Nicola also made her late brother a promise to “make sure Bear knows about his daddy and how much you loved him.”
