Harry Styles and Niall Horan leave after attending the funeral service(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Liam Payne: One Direction stars' last reunion was also marred by absolutely tragic woe

Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan - the four men Liam Payne had grown up alongside - gathered at their fellow One Direction star's solemn funeral in Buckinghamshire

by · The Mirror

The One Direction bandmates reunited for the first time in nearly ten years on Wednesday - for the funeral of one of their own.

But the last time they gathered together, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Liam Payne himself cheered on Louis as he performed just days after his mother died - in more "absolutely tragic" circumstances.

Despite battling the loss of mum Johannah Deakin, 43, to cancer, brave Louis performed his solo single Just Hold On on The X-Factor stage in December 2016. His loyal former bandmates gathered to support him at the studios in northwest London.

And Wednesday's funeral, held at St Mary's Church in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, shared similar solemn notes. An insider said: "It is absolutely tragic that the band had to come back together at a funeral for one of their own. They were once so close, but like in any group, fallouts happen, people change and there are often thousands of miles between them. But they all wanted to be there for their old friend.

"They have been devastated by Liam's death. They were like brothers for their most formative years and shared so much history together. But coming face to face at such a tragic event must have been very difficult indeed."

Louis Tomlinson was heartbroken when his mum Johannah Deakin, pictured, died - and the 1D gang offered him huge support( Image: mrsjohannahdeakin/Instagram)
Louis' tragedy in 2016 was the last time the 1D mates had reunited - again grief was a theme( Image: Getty Images)

Johannah, who was a charity stalwart and midwife, had leukemia and died days before Louis, then just 24, was scheduled to appear live on The X-Factor. He tweeted just hours before the show to confirm he would sing, and received huge support from fans and his former bandmates.

Johannah had previously told her local paper, The Doncaster Star, that Louis' worldwide fame and success in the world of pop made it really hard to buy him Christmas presents.

In Christmas 2013, she said: "We usually all get each other jokey presents rather then spending a lot... The best present he got me was a Mulberry handbag, the Christmas before last, which I absolutely love." Johannah left behind her husband Dan Deakin, and her seven children, of whom Louis is the eldest.

Louis was one of several celebs at the ceremony in Amersham on Wednesday( Image: WireImage)
Zayn, who with Louis, is believed to have remained the closest to Liam since the band split( Image: w8media)

Louis reunited with his 1D mates alongside other mourners at the private funeral in Buckinghamshire to remember Liam following his death aged 31 in Argentina last month. Girls Aloud star Tweedy, who was in a relationship with Liam between 2016 and 2018, was seen leaving the service at St Mary's Church in Amersham wearing a black coat and black sunglasses.

Daily Mail reports Harry, wearing Gucci sunglasses, arrived with actor James Corden, a long-standing friend of Liam and the rest of One Direction. They were among the first to arrive in a blacked-out limo and entered the church together. Niall arrived separately with his girlfriend Amelia Woolley, while Zayn and Louis, who were believed to have remained the closest to Liam, were seen talking.

After the ceremony, Harry and James left together without any of the remaining One Direction gang. Zayn, who rescheduled a gig which was due to take place in Edinburgh on Wednesday night, was also seen leaving on his own.