Robbie Williams and Nicole Scherzinger messages to Liam Payne's family after missing funeral

A host of celebrities gathered to bid their final farewells to One Direction singer Liam Payne, who was laid to rest on Wednesday (November 20) - over a month after his tragic death. The 31-year-old star tragically fell from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires on October 16.

His coffin arrived at the church by horse-drawn hearse as mourners and fans lined the streets. Among those in attendance were Liam's former bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik, along with dozens of other celebrity friends.

This marked the first reunion of the One Direction members in nearly a decade. Cheryl, the mother of Liam's son Bear, was also present at the funeral, comforted by Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts.

A poignant tribute from Bear was revealed during the service, a floral arrangement reading: "Daddy," placed alongside his father's coffin. Liam's parents, Karen and Geoff, were greeted by the reverend upon arrival at the church.

Their son's coffin, adorned with white roses, was carried inside by pall bearers to join the mourners, reports the Mirror.

Many celebrities turned out for the sombre occasion, including James Corden, Rochelle and Marvin Humes, Simon Cowell, Robbie Keane, Damian Hurley, and Liam's girlfriend Kate Cassidy. However, there were notable absences as well.

Music icon Robbie Williams and Liam's former X Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger were reportedly unable to attend the funeral but reached out to express their condolences. Robbie Williams, 50, shared a touching message: "You brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the lives of those that truly knew you. I will 'miss you' my friend and carry you in my heart. My thoughts and prayers are with your family."

Likewise, Nicole Scherzinger, 46, remembered Liam fondly: "Dear Liam, I will forever cherish and treasure the time we shared together, from fifteen years ago when One Direction was born, right up until just a few weeks ago."

Both stars were said to have contacted Liam's grieving relatives and sent flowers, despite not being able to attend, The Sun reports.

"You brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the lives of those that truly knew you. I will 'miss you' my friend and carry you in my heart. My thoughts and prayers are with your family."

"Dear Liam, I will forever cherish and treasure the time we shared together, from fifteen years ago when One Direction was born, right up until just a few weeks ago."

Rev Jonny Rapson, the vicar who conducted the service, shared with PA news agency following the funeral: "We will continue to hold Liam, his family and his loved ones in our prayers on what must have been a very difficult day."

Locals and admirers alike congregated outside the church to offer their final respects to Payne, who tragically passed away on October 16 after plummeting from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. Fans worldwide held vigils to remember him, and in his native Wolverhampton, West Midlands, a memorial was erected.

In honour of his memory and to perpetuate his legacy, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched with the goal of raising funds for a new Children's Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital. The post-mortem examination concluded that Payne's demise was due to multiple injuries and "internal and external haemorrhage".