‘People should be given space to mourn their loved ones privately’: Paparazzi slammed for taking photos of celebrities at Liam Payne’s funeral

Liam Payne’s funeral was poised online as the 2024 One Direction funeral. As if it weren’t someone’s FUNERAL.

On November 20, family, friends, and loved ones of the late Liam Payne gathered for the singer’s private funeral. Many gathered to bid their final farewell to the One Direction member, and due to his A-list status, several celebrities were in attendance. And where there are celebrities, there are paparazzi, even if the event is a funeral. But it’s not just that; photos of Payne’s coffin were also shared online. This begs the question: are celebrities not given the grace of privacy, even in death?

Paparazzi swarms Liam Payne’s funeral

Soon after the funeral, photos of One Direction members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson at Payne’s funeral were shared. The photos were all high-quality and showed the grief they were facing. Other celebrities who were captured by the press include Simon Cowell and ex-girlfriend Cheryl Cole. Photographs of his partner, Kate Cassidy, and of ex-girlfriend Danielle Peazer were also shared online, as well as pictures of his parents in tears.

Some U.K. media outlets even held livestreams, showing celebrities entering the church in real time.

Additionally, photos of the casket and tributes were shared for everyone online to see. Tributes that spelled out “DADDY” and “SON” were seen on Payne’s casket, a nod to the fact that he is survived by his son, Bear. Out of respect for Payne and his family, no photographs from the funeral will be shared here.

Many fans were shocked at the sheer number of high-quality photos and videos circulating of the funeral. It was meant to be a private event, yet it was treated like just another celebrity red carpet. Never mind the fact that people were all dressed in black, grieving the loss of a loved one.

Fans slam paparazzi for photographing Liam Payne’s funeral

One Reddit user commented, “These photos feel a bit invasive.” And it does; it is as if we were peeking into something we were told not to see. “People should be given space to mourn their loved ones privately.”

Many expressed irritation with supposed One Direction and Liam Payne fans who shared the photos online. Not long after the paparazzi snaps hit the web, “fan pages” on X, TikTok, and Instagram were quick to re-post the pictures with sad captions. Many believe that if these people truly loved the singer, they would have respected that his funeral was meant to be private.

The incident begs the question of what crosses the line for paparazzi. They are notorious for stalking and breaching celebrities’ privacy, but profiting from the grief of others during a funeral feels like a whole new low. This should not be normalized, and the paparazzi should learn ethical boundaries. Let grieving people grieve.

Rest in peace, Liam Payne.