Liam Payne’s father reads tributes and kisses pictures outside Argentinian hotel where One Direction star died
Liam Payne’s father has visited the hotel in Argentina where his son died, as he read tributes left for the One Direction star.
Geoff Payne was seen reading messages and looking at flowers placed outside the Casa Sur Hotel in the capital Buenos Aires.
He was watched on by a crowd of mourners.
Sky correspondent Martha Kelner in Buenos Aires said: “Geoff paused occasionally to put on his glasses to read the notes written in English and picked up the pictures to kiss them.
“He also thanked fans for being there.”
Follow latest: Cheryl posts about Liam Payne’s death
Geoff Payne greeted mourners outside the hotel where his son died. Pic: Reuters
The singer died aged 31 on Wednesday after falling from a balcony on the third floor of the hotel.
Payne’s father arrived in Argentina on Friday to arrange for the return of his son’s body to the UK.
Earlier, he was seen leaving a different hotel in the city, accompanied by British consular officials and security staff.
Argentinian officials said Mr Payne visited the city’s morgue to identify his son before meeting with the local prosecutor’s office to organise the repatriation of his body.
Local media reported he was expected to pick up some of his son’s belongings during the visit.
On Thursday, Payne’s relatives said in a joint statement they were “heartbroken” by his death.
They added: “Liam will forever live in our hearts, and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.
“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.”
Read more:
Grief as details emerge of star’s final hours
Liam Payne: A life in pictures
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
What we know about Liam Payne’s death
Payne expressed gratitude to his parents during several interviews with the media in recent years.
His father, a mechanic, and his mother, a nurse, both made cameos in One Direction: This Is Us, a 2013 concert documentary about the band.
“When I see him on stage I absolutely burst with pride, but we do miss him so much,” Payne’s mother, Karen, said at one point in the film.
Geoff Payne was earlier seen at a different hotel in the city. Pic: Reuters
Tributes have poured in for Payne following his death, including from his One Direction bandmates who issued a joint statement and their own personal messages.
Simon Cowell – who mentored the band on the X Factor and later signed them to his label – paid tribute to Payne on Friday evening, saying he was “truly devastated” and felt “empty”.
Girls Aloud singer Cheryl, who was in a relationship with Payne between 2016 and 2018, and had a son with him in 2017, also spoke of her heartbreak on Friday and hit out at “abhorrent” reports surrounding his death.
Entertainment
The Wanted star Max George recalls moment he wrote will from hospital bed before heart surgery
The Duchess of Sussex has delayed the release of her new Netflix series due to the devastation caused by the wildfires in LA, the streaming platform has announced.
Meghan’s eight-part series, With Love, will premiere on 4 March instead of 15 January.
“I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California,” Meghan said in a statement to Tudum, the official companion site to Netflix.
Harry and Meghan comforted volunteers and handed out food to evacuees during a visit to Pasadena on Friday, where they met with the city’s mayor Victor Gordo and emergency workers tackling the Eaton Fire.
Prince Harry and Meghan were seen comforting residents on Friday
Footage showed the duchess, wearing a blue “LA” baseball cap, and the prince hugging and consoling people who had fled to the Pasadena Convention Center.
They were also seen speaking Doug Goodwin, whose home was destroyed in the wildfires, and also to Jose Andres, founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK) which has been helping feed the public and emergency crews.
Prince Harry and Meghan spoke to Doug Goodwin (centre right), whose home was destroyed and Pasadena mayor Victor Gordo (right) in Altadena, California. Pic: AP
A description of the Netflix series on Tudum’s website said: “Produced by Meghan, ‘With Love, Meghan’ blends practical how-to’s and candid conversation with friends, new and old.
“Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection, and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected.
“She and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen, the garden, and beyond, and invite you to do the same.”
More from Sky News:
Body found after search of landfill site
How AI could help IVF couples
Former Little Mix star having twins
The royals live in Montecito, near Santa Barbara, around 90 miles from Los Angeles.
They are understood to have donated supplies, including clothing and children’s items, to people affected by the disaster.
They released a statement on Thursday urging people to help those affected by the wildfires and to open their homes to those evacuated.
-
Sports2 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports9 months agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports3 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business2 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway