Liam Payne’s girlfriend unveils touching tattoo tribute to star ahead of first Christmas since his death
Kate Cassidy has revealed a poignant new tattoo tribute to her late boyfriend, former One Direction star Liam Payne, who tragically died two months ago.
The 25-year-old influencer shared a glimpse of her new ink through her Instagram Stories on Sunday, showing delicate angel wings tattooed across her left index and middle fingers.
The intimate photo captured Cassidy cuddling with Nala, the rescue dog she and Payne had adopted together just one month before his death in October.
Cassidy chose to accompany the emotional post with a simple red heart emoji, offering no additional explanation for the meaningful body art.
The angel wings design appears particularly significant as Cassidy has made several references to angels since Payne’s passing, previously suggesting in social media posts that she had “gained a guardian angel”.
Nala had been adopted by the couple in September, just weeks before Payne’s death.
The four-month-old pup had been abandoned by her previous owners and left at a shelter before finding her forever home with the couple.
Cassidy had initially been nervous about asking Payne to adopt a dog, but he was immediately enthusiastic about the idea.
“We did a meet and greet with three different dogs and this one fit us best,” Cassidy had said at the time. “She’s so sweet.”
Payne had expressed hopes that Nala would become part of a “nice and loving family”, describing her as “a tiny new member of the family”.
The singer had doted on the puppy, sharing his enthusiasm about the adoption: “I really love her. She is so cute.”
Though initially planning to foster Nala, Payne had hinted they might become “the nice family” she needed permanently.
Cassidy and Payne had been dating since October 2022, with the couple making their red carpet debut at that year’s Fashion Awards.
Before his death, the pair had been planning their future together, with Cassidy revealing Payne had wanted to marry her within a year.
She shared in a social media post that they had sat outside “manifesting our lives together” and that Payne had left a note reading “Me and Kate to marry within a year/engaged & together forever 444.”
Earlier this month, Cassidy posted an emotional tribute video on TikTok showing moments from their two years together, set to Mazzy Star’s Fade Into You.
The since-deleted clip featured the couple laughing, hugging and kissing at various locations worldwide, from theme parks to their Miami home.
Cassidy attended Payne’s funeral in November at Saint Mary’s Church in Amersham, alongside his One Direction bandmates and former partner Cheryl Cole.
Payne died aged 31 on October 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The initial autopsy revealed he died from multiple injuries and external bleeding following the fall.
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Argentine prosecutors have since charged three people in connection with his death for “abandonment of a person followed by death” and “supplying and facilitating the use of narcotics.”
Toxicology reports showed traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescribed antidepressant in his system at the time of his death.
One of those charged was a hotel staffer who allegedly supplied Payne with cocaine during his stay between October 13 and 16, while another was identified as a drug dealer.
Police said several medications and energy supplements were found in his room, including clonazepam, with a whiskey bottle discovered in the courtyard where his body was recovered.
The forensic experts reported that Payne “did not adopt a reflexive posture to protect himself” and may have fallen while in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.