X Factor judges Cheryl and Simon Cowell pictured among mourners at Liam Payne's funeral

Cheryl bid an emotional final goodbye to Liam Payne - the father of her seven-year-old son - as he was laid to rest in a private service held at St Mary’s Church in Amersham, Buckinghamshire this afternoon (November 20).

She was pictured walking behind her ex's coffin following a poignant ceremony attended by family members, his former One Direction band members and music mogul Simon Cowell. 

The former Girls Aloud singer, 41, first encountered Liam when he auditioned for The X Factor as a teenager. Cheryl was a judge on the panel at the time. 

Payne later shot to fame after Simon Cowell brought him together with singers Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson to form One Direction on ITV talent show.

Cheryl and Liam started dating in 2016. At the time, Cheryl was transitioning from her previous marriage to Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, and Liam was beginning to establish himself as a solo artist after One Direction went on hiatus.

Payne went on to launch a successful solo career, releasing his debut solo album LP1 in December 2019, which included the songs Polaroid and Strip That Down featuring Quavo.

In March 2017, Cheryl and Liam welcomed their son, Bear Grey Payne. Both expressed their love and devotion to their son publicly, with Liam often praising Cheryl as a mother. However, their relationship ended a year later stating that they remained close friends and were committed to co-parenting Bear amicably.

Their breakup was reportedly due to the pressures of their busy careers and the challenges of their differing lifestyles. 

Liam Payne tragically died after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 16.  

A post-mortem examination report said his death was caused by multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage” from the fall.

An investigation has been launched into his death by prosecutors, and three people have been charged in connection with the incident.

A toxicology report unveiled a class-A drugs in Liam's system. The singer had been open about his struggles with drugs and alcohol in the past but had also enjoyed periods of sobriety.