The One Direction Band Members' Expressions At Liam Payne's Funeral Say It All

The following article includes mentions of substance use.

One Direction finally reunited, though it was under the worst of circumstances. Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik were all in attendance at fellow band member Liam Payne's funeral service. The painful reunification was stirred on by Payne's tragic death at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October. Held at a church in the English countryside northwest of London, the four surviving members of One Direction all dressed in black and wore sunglasses as they gathered together for the first time in almost nine years to remember Payne. The solemn reunion marked the first time the band has all been seen together since they broke up.

According to Page Six, Styles was the first to arrive, followed by Tomlinson and eventually Horan and Malik as they made their way into the church. The mood appeared to be overwhelmingly somber despite the sunny day. The four did not all gather together, though Page Six reported that Tomlinson and Malik chatted outside before the service. Also in attendance was Payne's musician ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole, with whom Payne shared his 7-year-old son, Bear Gray, as well as his girlfriend at the time of his death, Kate Cassidy. Horan's girlfriend, Amelia Wooley, was seen holding hands with him, while the other former band members came by themselves. However, they were certainly not alone, as the funeral was attended by other members of Payne's closest friends and family.

A horse-drawn carriage delivered the casket to the church for the service, and the crowd dispersed afterward, according to Page Six. And while the One Direction band members once again were all seen going their separate ways, Harry Styles and Niall Horan reportedly came together to say a few words at one point. Although the four remaining members may have had little to say to each other at Payne's funeral, they did release a joint statement on Instagram, awakening their years-dormant account to pay their respects and say, "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing. ... The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. ... We love you Liam."

One Direction has sold 70 million records to date and is the most nominated band of all time for the Teen Choice Awards, providing a good measure of just how historically popular the band was with young people. But their journey was not without bumps in the road, with nearly every member of the band facing some sort of hardship. There was the time Tomlinson got arrested for fighting paparazzi at the airport, the rumors that Malik broke up with mother-of-his-child Gigi Hadid after striking her mom, and the speculation about Styles being the instigator in Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis' divorce. As for Horan ... Well, he's actually been pretty alright, though his breakup with actress Hailee Steinfeld reportedly didn't go so well.

Also in attendance was Simon Cowell, who was joined by his fiancee Lauren Silverman. Cowell is credited with finding and signing One Direction to his record label after they placed third on "The X Factor" in 2010, when Cowell was one of the judges. And given the fact that Cowell could be credited as the father of the band, like the other boys whose lives he changed, he also looked as if he was deep in mourning. Cowell helped propel One Direction to mega-stardom, turning them into teen idols, with the five members gaining fame, fortune, and all of the best-selling boy band hysteria that came along with it.

But nothing compares to the horribly too-soon loss of Payne. And likely adding to the One Direction members' heartache are the tragic details that have emerged from Payne's autopsy, including revelations that there were drugs involved in his deadly accident. ABC News reported that Payne had multiple substances in his system at the time of his fall, including something called "pink cocaine," which is a cocktail of MDMA, methamphetamine, ketamine, benzodiazepine, cocaine, and crack. It is a heart-wrenching posthumous realization that Payne had either not gotten sober or relapsed after supposedly overcoming a history of substance use, with him having claimed to be clean as recently as 2023.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).