Liam Payne's girlfriend says Christmas a 'time of grief and sadness'

Liam Payne's girlfriend has shared a message about experiencing sadness and grief during the Christmas holidays following the singer's death earlier this year.

Payne died in October after falling from the balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.

Kate Cassidy - who had been in a relationship with the One Direction star since 2022 - said: "As the holidays are here, I realise it is a time for happiness and joy, but it is also a time of sadness and grief for so many."

In an Instagram stories post, she said she was sending love to those "carrying grief this holiday" and called on people to be gentle with those experiencing grief over Christmas.

"The holidays can feel different for everyone," she says, and wishes everyone "a love-filled and healthy holiday season this year.".

In October, Cassidy revealed on social media that Payne wrote a note to her shortly before his death predicting they would get married within a year.

In her tribute to him after he died, she called Payne "my best friend, the love of my life" and said that she had "lost the best part of myself".

Payne's sudden death led to an outpouring of grief from his family, friends and fans around the world.

The Wolverhampton-born singer shot to fame when he auditioned for the X Factor in 2010 at the age of 16 and became part of One Direction.

While the boy band went on to achieve phenomenal success across the globe, Payne himself acknowledged that it came at a cost and admitted that he used alcohol to cope with the band's increasing fame.

His death prompted a debate about the duty of care in the music industry, particularly for young people.

In November, Argentinian authorities confirmed that three people were charged in connection with the singer's death.

Toxicology tests revealed traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his body.

A post-mortem examination determined his cause of death as "multiple trauma" and "internal and external haemorrhage", as a result of the fall from the hotel balcony.

According to the prosecutor's office, medical reports also suggested Payne may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.

Payne's funeral was held in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, last month and was attended by friends, family, and his One Direction bandmates.