Liam Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, may be eligible to make a legal claim on the late One Direction star’s £24 million fortune, according to recent reports. Payne tragically died in October last year at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
Initially, five individuals were charged in connection with his death, but charges have since been dropped against three of them, including Payne’s close friend Roger Nores.
Court documents filed on May 1 reveal that Payne passed away without leaving a will. His estate, originally valued at £28.6 million, was reduced to £24.3 million after debts and expenses were settled. Under UK intestacy law, his son Bear, shared with ex-partner Cheryl Tweedy, stands to inherit the fortune via a trust.
Cheryl, the mother of eight-year-old Bear, has been appointed to oversee Payne’s estate, along with music lawyer Richard Bray, who has been named a co-administrator.
Kate Cassidy, who dated Payne for two years prior to his sudden death, could potentially file a claim depending on the legal nature and duration of their relationship. Under UK inheritance laws, long-term partners may apply for provision from the estate if they can prove financial dependence or cohabitation.
A source told The Mail: “Liam had some very sensible people around him for a time, and he adored Bear so much. He always wanted to do the right thing by him financially. It is a small consolation that Bear will never want for anything.”
As the legal process continues, questions remain about whether Cassidy will seek a portion of the estate or allow the court-appointed trustees to move forward unchallenged.
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