Who Is Liam Payne's Girlfriend? All About Kate Cassidy and Her Relationship with the Late One Direction Member

The late Liam Payne was dating Kate Cassidy for two years before his death at age 31 in October 2024.

The One Direction singer, who previously dated Cheryl Cole and Maya Henry, was first seen with Cassidy in October 2022. Despite breakup rumors in May 2023, Payne and the influencer were still dating and posting about their relationship at the time of his death. They were spotted at Paris Fashion Week in March 2024.

After multiple public romances, Payne no longer felt the need to hide his relationships from the world, as he proved with Cassidy.

"I'm kind of at the place in my life now where I just realize it's not worth sacrificing my happiness just because somebody might see something," the singer said in a 2019 interview with MTV News.

Payne added, "I don't have anything to hide."

Although the two mostly stayed silent about their connection, Cassidy posted snippets of her and Payne's romance, from red-carpet photos to casual selfies.

So, who is the late Liam Payne’s girlfriend? Here's what to know about Kate Cassidy and her relationship with the singer.

She graduated from college in 2021

According to an Instagram post, Cassidy graduated from Coastal Carolina University in the spring of 2021.

To celebrate the milestone, she shared a photo of herself posing with a black graduation cap and gown. In another picture, Cassidy's gown was adorned with a blue sash featuring Greek lettering for her Phi Sigma Sigma sorority.

“Thank you for four amazing years🤝,” she wrote in the caption.

She's an influencer

According to Cassidy's Instagram bio, she's based in London, but spends much of her time traveling around the world. The influencer regularly shares updates from her adventures with her more than 40,000 Instagram followers, posting photos from her trips to Dubai, Turks and Caicos, Rome and more.

Cassidy has also taken her followers along to some high-profile events, including Wimbledon, where she and Payne relaxed and took photos in the Evian suite. In January 2023, she even posed with Kendall Jenner at the grand opening of the Atlantis The Royal in Dubai.

She and Payne were first spotted together in October 2022

Payne and Cassidy sparked romance rumors when they were seen attending a Halloween party in October 2022. At the time, the Daily Mail shared photos of the pair heading to the restaurant Inca London dressed as Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson.

Cassidy also posted a photo of their costumes on her Instagram Stories.

The following month, Cassidy shared snaps of her trip to Rome, and Payne made an appearance. In the Instagram photo, the duo embrace in a hug while taking a mirror selfie.

She and Payne made their red carpet debut in December 2022

After months of speculation, Payne and Cassidy confirmed their relationship by attending the British Fashion Awards together in London in December 2022. The couple posed for photos on the red carpet; Payne wore a black suit while Cassidy stunned in a black floor-length dress with a side slit and cutout details.

Following the event, Cassidy shared a photo from the night on Instagram, tagging Payne. The singer then left a comment, writing, “Who is that lucky lucky dashing young man next to you 🤷🏻‍♂️ nah seriously you look fantastic I coulda just told you that as your on the sofa next to me but you know tech and phones n stuff.”

She and Payne attended Louis Tomlinson’s film premiere

Payne and Cassidy stepped out to support fellow One Direction alum Louis Tomlinson at the premiere of his documentary, All of Those Voices, in March 2023.

After the event, she shared a heartfelt message about the project with Tomlinson via an Instagram caption. “What a crazy eye opening experience!” she wrote alongside a photo and video of herself and Payne. “It was so nice to meet you finally."

Cassidy continued: "I’m so glad I got to share those moments with you watching your best friend, even the tearful ones ... @louist91 well done on such a beautiful film that everybody will love.”

She met Payne’s famous friends

In July 2023, Cassidy accompanied Payne in celebrating his friend Paul Wesley’s 41st birthday in Saint-Tropez. The Vampire Diaries actor hosted the festivities on a luxury yacht with his girlfriend, model Natalie Kuckenburg.

The group spent the day on the water. Payne wore a blue and white collared shirt and white pants. Meanwhile, Cassidy wore a strapless white floral sundress. 

On her Instagram, Cassidy shares photos from her trip to St. Tropez. One post showed her posing on a boat in a beige fishnet dress, while another captured her soaking up the sun in a red and white floral bathing suit.

She and Payne sparked breakup rumors in May 2023

In May 2023, fans began to suspect that Payne and Cassidy had split because the couple hadn’t been photographed together in months. Shortly after, the Daily Mail reported that the pair had gone their separate ways.

By early June, however, they were spotted holding hands while out on a date night in London. Payne and Cassidy were photographed leaving Annabel's 60th-anniversary party at Chiltern Firehouse.

Payne defended her from trolls

Shortly after going public with their relationship, one of Payne’s followers sent him a direct message on Instagram suggesting that Cassidy was only with him for his money.

Per the Daily Mail, the singer screenshotted the message and shared it on his Instagram Stories. "Gotta say you could tell me anything and I couldn't be turned," he wrote in response. "I've never felt a love like I do for Katelyn. We make each other better people."

He continued: "If it was just for the money I'd give her all of it. It's not though (please remember I'm hella sexy) and I know I'm fun and a loveable person. And I don't give a f*** to say that for the first time in my life I'm happy to be me and that's priceless.”

Cassidy spoke out about Payne days after he died

Two days after Payne's Oct. 16 death, Cassidy spoke out for the first time in a post on her Instagram Stories, thanking her followers for "all of the kind words and love that has been sent my way."

"I have been at a complete loss. Nothing about the past few days have felt real," she wrote. "I ask and pray that you'll give me the grace and space to navigate this in private."

Cassidy continued, "Liam, my angel. You are everything. I want you to know I loved you unconditionally and completely. I will continued to love you for the rest of my life. I love you Liam."