Liam Payne’s friend has spoken out against the late singer’s girlfriend for sharing an AI-generated tribute marking the first anniversary of his death.

Kate Cassidy, a 26-year-old influencer, had been dating Payne for two years before he tragically died on October 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

An autopsy later revealed that the One Direction superstar passed away of “polytrauma,” meaning several injuries that involve multiple organs or systems, and a toxicology report confirmed he had traces of “alcohol, cocaine, and prescription antidepressants” in his system at the time of his death, per PEOPLE.

Digital Memory Sparks Backlash

As the first anniversary of Payne’s tragic death approaches, Cassidy shared the digitally created images - depicting her with a smiling Payne - on her Instagram stories. She described AI as “a curse,” but acknowledged that the pictures helped her feel close to the former One Direction star.

One of the images showed the 'Strip That Down' singer holding his girlfriend, who wore a pink floral dress. Though the post was met with support from many of Cassidy’s followers, the reaction among Payne’s inner circle was less supportive.

“Who does this?” a friend told The Mirror. “Of course, she is fully entitled to remember Liam, but this all feels a bit much. It’s surely triggering for those who loved Liam. There is some sympathy for Kate but creating a photo of them together so soon after his death is completely strange and also upsetting for so many who loved Liam.”

The source added to the Daily Mail: “His parents are normal people, a normal family who don’t play the fame game, they don’t have time for influencers or TikTokers. They saw what fame did to him, and they don’t want any part of it. They will grieve their son forever, privately.”

Cassidy Shares Emotional Goodbye

Cassidy has been publicly processing her grief in the lead-up to the anniversary, including an emotional video shared on October 12 in which she recalled her final goodbye with Payne before she left Argentina, just four days before his fatal fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.

“I was sitting on the couch, just expressing to him how much I’m going to miss him, how much I love him,” she said through tears. “He looked at me and he said, ‘[Kate], you’re going to miss your flight. You’re acting like this is the last time you’re ever going to see me again.’ And little did I know, it literally was the last time I got to see him.”

Cassidy said she was “so, so glad” they had that heartfelt farewell.

The couple’s relationship became public in December 2022, after they attended the British Fashion Awards together. Though rumors of a split emerged in May 2024, the couple were seen together again the following month, appearing close during a date in London.

Cassidy was among the mourners at Payne’s funeral in England in November 2024, alongside his former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Niall Horan.

Shortly after his death, she posted a heartbreaking tribute on Instagram: “Liam, my angel. You are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continue to love you for the rest of my life. I love you, Liam.”

Featured image credit: Dave Benett / Getty

Liam Payne's girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, has taken part in her first interview since the One Direction star's tragic passing.

Payne tragically passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 16 October 2024.

The One Direction star from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel after reports of "an aggressive man who could be under the effects of drugs and alcohol," from hotel staff.

At a December 17 hearing at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court, Senior Coroner Crispin Butler noted that establishing the full circumstances of Payne’s death “may take some time” due to ongoing legal proceedings in Argentina.

However, a UK inquest has officially attributed his cause of death to "polytrauma," according to The Mirror US.

Two days before the incident, Payne's girlfriend, 25-year-old Kate Cassidy, had returned home to Miami, Florida - a decision that led to speculation that the couple had broken up after two years together.

Now, in an interview with The Sun, Cassidy has addressed the rumors, sharing her reasons for leaving Argentina and the devastating moment she learned of Payne’s passing.

Cassidy described her relationship with Payne as a "fairytale romance" and said she had supported him “through thick and thin” as they planned for a future together.

“Love is so optimistic, and you just hope that everything will work out at the end. Obviously if I knew, if I could see into the future, I would never have left Argentina,” she said.

She explained that their original plan was to stay in Argentina for about a week, but they had extended their trip.

“After two weeks, I had a responsibility, we had a responsibility, we had our dog,” Cassidy added.

Describing Payne as her “charming soulmate,” she admitted: “I never thought this would’ve happened.”

Cassidy recalled the harrowing moment she found out about Payne’s death while scrolling through TikTok at home with their dog, Nala.

“I didn’t believe it at first. I thought it was just a rumour. Or something that somebody made up just to get views. Then instantly I just had a bad feeling in my gut. I was like, ‘Why would somebody make this up? Is this true?’” she said.

“And I feel like I just completely blacked out. When I officially found the news out to be true, I felt numb. I tried to call him. I called pretty much everybody.”

She heartbreakingly added that their dog thought she was “trying to play” as she paced around the house in shock, unable to sleep that night.

Cassidy said she still struggles to come to terms with Payne’s absence, admitting that it “still doesn’t feel fully real.”

“That he won’t be there with me to navigate through this life, that I’ll have to deal with this without him by my side... it’s really hard,” she said.

“You don’t think about the worst possible thing that can happen.”

Featured image credit: Dave Benett / Getty

Kate Cassidy has opened up about the last text she received from Liam Payne before he tragically died last year.

Payne was staying at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina when the tragedy occurred.

On October 16, 2024, the former One Direction star fell from his third-floor balcony and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fans flooded in from around the world to lay tributes to the star, with his funeral taking place in Amersham in the UK in November.

Prior to his death, his girlfriend Kate Cassidy had been in Argentina with him but had left to return to Florida.

In a recent interview with the Sun, Cassidy revealed that she had left Payne behind so she could return to care for their dog.

“Love is so optimistic, and you just hope that everything will work out at the end. Obviously if I knew, if I could see into the future, I would never have left Argentina,” she said.

She explained that their original plan was to stay in Argentina for about a week, but they had extended their trip.

“After two weeks, I had a responsibility, we had a responsibility, we had our dog,” Cassidy added.

Describing Payne as her “charming soulmate,” she admitted: “I never thought this would’ve happened.”

When she returned home to Florida, Cassidy prepared for the Halloween season, decorating their house in anticipation of his return.

"I can't wait for you to get home and see the house," she texted him.

The 25-year-old also shared the final photograph she took of Payne - a snapshot of him on horseback during a trail ride towards the end of their South America trip.

"He looks so happy," she said.

Cassidy also recalled the harrowing moment she found out about Payne’s death while scrolling through TikTok at home with their dog, Nala.

“I didn’t believe it at first. I thought it was just a rumour. Or something that somebody made up just to get views. Then instantly I just had a bad feeling in my gut. I was like, ‘Why would somebody make this up? Is this true?’” she said.

“And I feel like I just completely blacked out. When I officially found the news out to be true, I felt numb. I tried to call him. I called pretty much everybody.”

She heartbreakingly added that their dog thought she was “trying to play” as she paced around the house in shock, unable to sleep that night.

At a December 17 hearing at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court, Senior Coroner Crispin Butler noted that establishing the full circumstances of Payne’s death “may take some time” due to ongoing legal proceedings in Argentina.

However, a UK inquest has officially attributed his cause of death to "polytrauma," according to The Mirror US.

Featured image credit: Jeff Schear / Getty

In her first television interview since the tragic death of her boyfriend, Liam Payne, Kate Cassidy appeared on ITV's Lorraine to discuss her ongoing grief and the challenges she faces in accepting his loss.

Payne, the former One Direction star, died at 31 after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires on October 16, 2024. ​

Struggling with Acceptance

During the interview, Cassidy became emotional as she spoke about her difficulty in acknowledging Payne's absence. "I find myself talking about him so much in the present tense," she admitted.

"I don't even feel the need to correct myself because that's part of my healing journey. I'm still working on accepting the fact that he's not here anymore, so it's hard for me to refer to him in the past tense." She added, "When I do refer to him in the past tense, it almost stings that little bit more, because it’s more official. I never would have thought that I’d be talking about him in the past tense so it’s definitely really hard to accept." ​

Coping Mechanisms and Support

Cassidy revealed that some days are particularly challenging, making it difficult for her to get out of bed. However, she emphasized the importance of her support system and daily routines in aiding her healing process.

"I have my better days; I have my harder days," she said. "But I'm surrounded by such a great support system’ which been a huge help as she experienced the ‘first time going through grief and a healing journey."

One significant source of comfort has been her dog, Nala, who encourages her to maintain a routine. ‘But I have this responsibility and this obligation that I am almost in a way … I have no choice. I have to get out of bed (for my dog) Nala and whether it’s a five-minute walk or 20-minute walk first thing in the morning."

Continuing Payne's Legacy

In honor of Payne's openness about mental health, Cassidy has become involved in Lorraine's new mental health campaign, March4March. She believes that participating in this initiative allows her to continue the work Payne was passionate about.

Cherishing memories

Reflecting on their time together, Cassidy described Payne as "one of a kind," noting, "He would light up any room he walked into. His presence was just comforting and warming, and that's something I'll never forget about him." 

Featured image credit: Dave Benett / Getty