Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy has defended the outfit she wore to her late boyfriend’s funeral, addressing claims she was only with the One Direction star for fame and money.
The 25-year-old recently spoke for the first time since the singer tragically died in last October. Aged 31, Liam fell from the balcony of his third floor hotel room in Argentina, where he and Cassidy had been holidaying before she left early.
He died after suffering multiple traumas leading to an “internal and external haemorrhage”.
Kate has opened up about the negative comments she received following his passing in a new interview, revealing that she even received death threats.
She said: “Obviously after his death there was a lot of speculation, and things that were said about me, and I was getting called certain labels.”
She added: “I never (asked him for money). Yeah, it’s upsetting but it’s just about having thick skin and I’m never going to let anybody tell me how my relationship was with Liam. The only two people that really know how strong a relationship was are me and Liam.”
Kate described her relationship as “authentic” and “real”, and she also revealed that she was criticised on the day of Liam’s funeral. Among the comments on social media, some suggested she was wearing too much make-up while others claimed she wanted “attention”.
Kate defended her funeral outfit while speaking to The Sun, and explained the emotional reason behind her appearance that day.
She explained: “I genuinely wanted to just look beautiful for my boyfriend one last time; that’s how he would want to see me, and that’s how I would want him to remember me.”
Since Liam’s death, Kate has returned to her home in America, having vacated the properties she once shared with the musician in London and Florida. But she recently revealed why she decided to leave Liam in Argentina and return to their Florida mansion, reports The Mirror.
Earlier this week, she said how she had “responsibilities” and had to get home to look after their dog, Nala. However, she says his death was a “tragic accident” and she had no idea that Liam would die days after she went home.
On October 16, Kate was sat at home in their Florida mansion, scrolling on TikTok when the news of Liam’s death emerged.
But she feels “blessed” that one of the star’s friends phoned her to tell her the news, rather than finding out on social media like many of his friends in the UK.
In a state of disbelief, Kate picked up her phone and tried to call Liam, initially believing that the news was fake.
In the days leading up to his death and after Kate returned home, Liam, who had been open about his struggles in the past, relapsed and turned to drugs and alcohol.
Kate had been supporting him through his addiction, admitting that she “loved his soul”. But she says he was in a “good headspace” during their time in South America and had even attended a sold-out Niall Horan concert, leaving fans ecstatic as the pair reunited.
At ten-years-old, Kate fell in love with Liam Payne, and had posters of One Direction splashed across her childhood bedroom, admitting the singer was her “childhood crush.” She described the late musician as one of the greatest people she’d ever met and didn’t care about his fame or staggering fortune.
The pair met at a bar in South Carolina in September 2022, with Liam asking for her number then asking her out. For Liam, the attraction was immediate, and he asked for her number straight away. However, their relationship almost didn’t take off. Kate gave Liam her phone number and forgot to add +1 to her area code, due to having an American number.
Liam delayed his flight back to London after their first date, a game of bowling, and they checked into a hotel for 48 hours. “We were lying in bed watching a movie, and he said ‘Would you like to be my girlfriend and would you want to move in with me? Like, I really love you,'” she revealed.