Liam Payne's funeral hidden tributes - heartbreaking meaning behind poignant displays

Liam Payne's friends and family have gathered for the star's funeral today, after the former One Direction star died on October 16, aged just 31.

The star's family went to great lengths to ensure the service and arrangements were the perfect tribute to the singer. The service cleverly integrated special touches to honour Liam, alongside the more classic flower displays and candles.

One such personal item on display to mourners as they entered the Buckinghamshire church was a floral display showing a series of bowling pins being hit by a ball, arranged out of fresh flowers.

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While it may seem out of place on the solemn day, the piece lovingly references Liam’s famous love of bowling. The musician even spent his 31st birthday bowling with his family on August 29, just weeks before his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

“Liam was with his mum in Manchester where they celebrated his birthday with family. They were still incredibly close and enjoyed spending time together bowling. Liam's family stayed with him for a few days at the Stock Exchange Hotel,” a source told the Daily Mail, adding: “It's tragic to think that ended up being the last time they would celebrate his special day with him.”

Just a short time before his death, his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, shared a TikTok jokingly ribbing him for the love of the game. In her post, shared on October 3, she filmed a montage of a day out with Liam at the bowling alley, with the duo seeming loved up and happy as they took turns in the lanes. “He drags me to bowling at least four times a week,” she captioned the clip.

“The joy that bowling brought him even though he was so bad at it… I miss him so so much,” one fan commented on the video, referring to Kate’s win at the end of the game.

As well as Liam’s funeral including a touching tribute to one of his favourite pastimes, it also subtly nodded to one of his other passions. Many cars bringing guests to the church had Batman stickers on the front windshields, showing the logo of a black bat against a white background.

Liam’s love of Batman was well-documented, with some fans even saying he was “obsessed” with the mysterious superhero. The Wolverhampton native reportedly had a life-size cutout of the DC comics crimefighter in his room at one point, and shared a selfie of himself in a Batman hat back in 2013. Alongside the photo shared on Twitter, he wrote: “For those who you who have doubted me and now turn to hate I’d like to say one thing… I am Batman.”

Liam celebrated one of his birthdays with a Batman-themed cake, and was the proud owner of a very realistic Batman costume. Unlike many celebrities who’ll never wear the same look twice, Liam rocked the costume for multiple Halloween parties, from 2012 to 2019.

Beyond the nods towards Liam’s interests and hobbies, his hearse showed what was most important to the late star. On top of the hearse were two floral arrangements, leaning against each other in red and blue. One one side read “SON,” with the other display reading “DADDY.” Liam is the father of seven-year-old Bear Payne, shared with his ex-partner Cheryl Cole. Cheryl praised Liam as a father after his death, while Liam himself spoke openly of his devotion to the young boy.

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