Arrangements for Liam Payne’s funeral are almost complete. His body is expected to be repatriated soon, ahead of a large-scale service to be announced soon, MailOnline has learned.
Investigators investigating his ‘unexplained’ death in Buenos Aires are expected to release Liam’s body to his heartbroken father Geoff this week. British consulate officials have made plans for the repatriation.
Once the 31-year-old star’s body returns to Britain from the Argentine capital, it is expected this will be followed by the announcement of a lavish funeral expected to be attended by hundreds of mourners.
“Liam’s body is expected to be flown home any day,” a close friend of the former One Direction star told MailOnline. ‘Arrangements have now been made and once his body is back in Britain the next step will be to announce the funeral plan.
A lavish memorial service is expected to take place a few days after the repatriation.
A close friend told MailOnline: ‘Liam will have a very big send-off, probably in a big cathedral somewhere close to his heart.
Liam Payne (pictured) died last month after the pop star fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room in Buenos Aires
Payne was on holiday in South America with girlfriend Kate Cassidy (pictured left) when the tragic fall occurred
Liam Payne’s last Snapchat post before falling to his death from the third floor of a Buenos Aires hotel
Payne said he was “glad to get some time away” less than an hour before he died
Liam Payne in the lobby of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, just minutes before his death
Liam Payne shakes hands with a woman in a hotel lobby in Buenos Aires just minutes before his death
Fans mourned the loss of Liam Payne at a memorial with flowers, candles, photos and handwritten notes in Washington Square Park
‘Liam was so loved by so many people, there will obviously be a huge demand and so the service will necessarily be a huge affair.’
“The details are still confidential until they are finally signed, but they should be announced very soon.”
Thousands more well-wishers than can accommodate are expected to gather outside the venue to celebrate the much-loved star’s life.
The ex-One Direction singer died last month after falling from the third floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires.
Two days after his death, Liam’s body was moved to the British Cemetery in the Argentine capital as the investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death began.
A post-mortem in the aftermath of his death determined the cause was the 31-year-old’s
Death on October 16 resulted from the head injuries he suffered during his fall.
Reports in the Argentine press claim that the necessary paperwork for the singer’s body to return home has been completed.
Liam Payne’s fans lit candles next to the hotel where he died in Buenos Aires
Forensic police arrive at the hotel where Liam Payne died in Buenos Aires
A source close to the family said: ‘Liam was so loved by so many people, there will obviously be a huge demand and so the service will necessarily be a huge affair.’
Change.org petition for a permanent memorial in Wolverhampton to honor the late Liam Payne
Flowers, photos and candles are displayed in honor of Liam Payne during a memorial event in Santa Ana Square on October 20, 2024 in Madrid, Spain
Reports in the Argentine press claim that the necessary paperwork for the singer’s body to return home has been completed
Liam Payne fans gather to pay their respects on the Monterrey Macroplaza esplanade on October 2
The ex-One Direction singer died last month after falling from the third floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires.
Liam rose to fame with the band One Direction. He is pictured with band members (left-right) Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik
Nicole Scherzinger was just one of the celebrities to pay tribute to the star, texting Liam Payne hours before his death after becoming a ‘mentor’ to him
Touching floral tributes were left outside the Casa Sur Hotel in the Argentine capital following the death of the ex-One Direction star
Geoff Payne was initially warned by investigators upon his arrival in Buenos Aires that it would take up to 15 days for all their investigations to be completed.
Just last week, local police raided the Casa Sur Hotel, where the fall took place, as they followed up on allegations that staff had sold Liam drugs in the hours leading up to his death.
Prosecutors have since investigated the theory that Liam was in “a state of semi- or total unconsciousness” during an apparent drug-induced episode on the morning of his death.
Liam had been in Argentina with her long-time girlfriend Kate Cassidy, with the influencer sharing a touching online tribute to her boyfriend saying they were planning to tie the knot next year.
Kate had left the couple’s holiday to return to the US two days before Liam’s death.