A UK court has formally declared Cheryl Tweedy, the former partner of the late singer Liam Payne, as the rightful heir to his multi-million-pound estate following his untimely death in October last year.
Payne, who rose to international fame as a member of the chart-topping boy band One Direction, tragically passed away at the age of 31 after falling from a third-floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He had not left behind a will, prompting legal procedures under England and Wales’ intestacy laws.
With no formal instructions from the singer regarding the distribution of his assets, the court appointed Tweedy—who shares a son with Payne—as the administrator of his estate. She will oversee the handling of his finances and belongings alongside a legal representative. Reports suggest she may set up a trust to safeguard the fortune for their young son, Bear.
Official documents show that Payne’s estate had a gross value of over £28.5 million, with a net value of approximately £24.3 million (equivalent to around KSh4.2 billion), after clearing debts and legal costs.
Payne’s death was ruled accidental. A postmortem confirmed that he suffered extensive injuries and internal bleeding due to the fall. Investigations in Argentina led to criminal negligence charges against five individuals, but three were later cleared in February.
Liam Payne’s music career extended beyond his boy band fame. After One Direction went on hiatus, he launched a solo career with hits like Strip That Down, Polaroid, and For You. His solo album LP1 was released in 2019.
Tweedy, who previously performed with the girl group Girls Aloud, was in a relationship with Payne from 2016 to 2018. Interestingly, their paths first crossed in 2008 when Payne auditioned for The X Factor—a show where Cheryl, then known as Cheryl Cole, served as a judge. Years later, that moment would evolve into a real-life romance.
