RIP Liam Payne: Times When Former One Direction Singer Connected With The Royal Family

Liam Payne, the former One Direction member, tragically succumbed to his injuries after “falling” from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16. As fans and loved ones grapple with the loss of the 31-year-old singer, many tributes and cherished memories have emerged online. Among these treasured moments are his encounters with the British royal family.

Liam, along with his One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Zayn Malik, had the opportunity to meet Prince William and Kate Middleton, the then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at the Royal Variety Charity event in November 2014. At that time, the Duchess was expecting her second child, Princess Charlotte, who was born in May 2015.

One Direction performed at the ceremony alongside Ed Sheeran, Bette Midler, Shirley Bassey, Demi Lovato, and Ellie Goulding. After their performances, the British royals met with the artists, and a clip of the Duchess greeting Styles went viral back then. As reported by Newsweek, the 1D member congratulated Kate Middleton, saying, “Congratulations on the bump … (though) she didn’t look bumpy.” Notably, the five-membered British boy band was invited to perform at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in 2011.

In 2015, One Direction met Prince Harry the same day they dropped their final album, Made in the A.M., during that year’s Royal Variety Charity event. According to a report by People, Prince Harry had a lighthearted chat with Harry Styles, where he asked the singer, “When was the last time you had a haircut?” After their fun banter, the One Direction member informed the prince, “At some point, I’ll be cutting it (his hair) for charity.”

Two years after this encounter, Liam was invited to Buckingham Palace by the late Queen Elizabeth. He attended a Queen’s Young Leaders reception, honouring remarkable young leaders who worked hard to make a difference in society. Liam attended this 2017 event without his bandmates following their announcement of an indefinite hiatus in 2016. At the event, the former One Direction member met with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Harry. After meeting with the British royals, Liam shared a post on his Instagram account.

“An absolute honour to meet the Queen today on such a fantastic occasion. Privileged to share the room with such inspirational @queensyoungleaders, hear their stories and how they are helping to rebuild and preserve a sometimes broken world,” wrote the English singer. A year later, in 2018, Liam once again had the opportunity to meet the Queen, this time at the Commonwealth Day Service held in Westminster Abbey on March 12.