Liam Payne's heartbreaking final wish for his son has been revealed as ex Cheryl has been awarded control of $32.2M estate.
The One Direction star passed away in October 2024 at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires.
He left behind a fortune worth $32.2 million but no formal will to dictate how it should be handled.
Under UK inheritance law, Payne’s estate would normally go to a legal spouse. But since he and ex-girlfriend Cheryl Tweedy were never married, his eight-year-old son Bear is the legal heir.
Cheryl, Bear’s mother, has now been appointed administrator of the estate alongside music lawyer Richard Mark Bray.
While Payne didn’t leave behind legal instructions, those closest to him say his final wish was always clear.
“It is a small consolation that Bear will never want for anything, that he will at least benefit from that,” a source told the Daily Mail. “Liam had some very sensible people around him for a time, and he adored Bear so much. He always wanted to do the right thing by him financially.”
Other friends said the 'Strip That Down' singer had been adamant about ensuring Bear would be looked after if anything ever happened to him.
Though it’s unclear exactly how Cheryl will manage the estate, she’s expected to place the funds in a trust for their son, whom she and Payne welcomed in 2017.
The 41-year-old singer released a heart-wrenching public statement on Instagram after news of Payne's death circulated online, calling the loss an “earth-shattering event".
“As I try to navigate this earth-shattering event, and work through my own grief at this indescribably painful time, I'd like to kindly remind everyone that we have lost a human being,” she wrote. “Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend, and a father to our 7-year-old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”
Cheryl went on to say: “What is troubling my spirit the most is that one day, Bear, will have access to the abhorrent reports and media exploitation we have seen in the past two days. It is breaking my heart further that I cannot protect him from that in his future.”
“I am begging you to consider what use some of these reports are serving, other than to cause further harm to everyone left behind picking up the pieces. Before you leave comments or make videos, ask yourself if you would like your own child or family to read them. Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last. Thank you, Cheryl," she added.
Payne and Cheryl dated from 2016 to 2018 and remained devoted co-parents after their split.
At the time of his death, Payne had been in a relationship with influencer Kate Cassidy for two years. Cassidy, who had left Argentina days before the accident, said she was still struggling to come to terms with his death.
She recalled their final goodbye on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast: “I remember sitting there with him, and I was going on and on and on about how much I love him, and he laughed and interrupted me. He was like: ‘Kate, you’re gonna miss your flight. Your car is in the driveway.’”
Then came his haunting last words: “You're acting like this is the last time you're ever gonna see me again."
“To look back in time and know that that was the last time I was ever going to see him again is just so chilling,” she said.
Cassidy was later informed of his death via a phone call. After the news sank in, she said she “lost it.” Her housekeeper returned to comfort her: “She put in the garage code, ran in the house, and just literally fell on the ground and just hugged me and just said, ‘I am so sorry.’”
“I’m such a believer in signs,” Cassidy added. “But for the first five days, I didn’t feel anything… I’m so disappointed. I love you so much, but I need you to show me a sign because I don’t feel you.”