On Thursday, an emotional Kate Cassidy, known for her relationship with the late Liam Payne, expressed her enduring love for the singer, even as she contemplates future relationships. In a heartfelt moment, the 26-year-old influencer shed tears while responding to criticism from an online troll urging her to move on from Payne.

The tragic death of Liam Payne on October 16, 2024, at the age of 31, left fans and loved ones reeling. The former One Direction member died after a fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with reports confirming the presence of alcohol and cocaine in his system.

Kate and Liam had shared a two-year relationship before his untimely passing, and she has been open about her grief on social media, offering followers a window into her healing journey.

In a candid TikTok video, Kate addressed her followers, stating, “I want to make something clear. Whoever I end up with in my future will have to accept the fact I will always love Liam.”

In a TikTok video, Kate said: ‘I want to make something clear. Whoever I end up with in my future will have to accept the fact I will always love Liam. 

‘I will always talk about Liam I will always laugh about Liam, I will always cry about Liam.’

Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy broke down in tears on Thursday as she said that her future boyfriends will have to accept that she’ll ‘always love’ the singer

The influencer, 26, shared an update as she hit back at an online troll who said that they wished he would stop talking about the late One Direction star and move on (pictured in 2023)

Kate continued: ‘Let me tell you something, Liam Payne was my boyfriend. He wasn’t just this famous figure to me. 

‘It hurts so bad because I am just criticised all the time for speaking about my boyfriend that passed away, the person that I loved and still do love.

‘I would never settle for anyone in this lifetime who did not feel comfortable enough with me speaking about Liam.

‘Liam was a very big part of my life. He was my best friend, somebody I really thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with and, obviously, I know one day I’m going to have to move on. I want to get married one day. I want to have kids.

‘When a person dies, they die twice, once when they actually die and the second time when you stop speaking about them. I’m not going to have Liam die twice on me. I will love him forever.’

Last month, Kate appeared to hit back at her late boyfriend’s sister for claiming that people are ‘using his death for fame’.

Kate took to Instagram over the weekend to share images of her paid-for luxury hotel trip, which took place during his anniversary on October 16.

Days before the trip, Liam’s sister Ruth appeared to take a swipe at Kate, writing in a tribute: ‘Everyone only seems interested in the public side of this. Some sadly seem more interested in the fame they can gain off this…’ 

In a TikTok video, Kate said: ‘ I want to make something clear. Whoever I end up with in my future will have to accept the fact I will always love Liam’

‘But on the human side people need to remember when they speak, there is a son without his Dad, parents without their child and I am lost without my brother.’

Among her carousel of images, Kate raised her middle finger to the camera with her tongue sticking out in what some took to be a response.

Kate defiantly insisted Liam would have wanted her to go on the trip – a collaboration with Grande Cosmetics – which was located 20 minutes from her apartment.

Ruth’s heartbreaking post described her grief in excruciating detail, as she penned: ‘I underestimated grief, woah, did I underestimate it. I am paralysed by it daily…

‘I thought I had felt it before but I know the losses before you were just intense sadness, you are the loss of my life…

‘The one person who l will miss at every single occasion in my life. I’d taken for granted that my little brother would be there through life. You shouldn’t have died.’

It comes as it was revealed that she is open to dating again a year after Liam’s death.

Previously Kate has shared that she suffered from depression after the 31-year-old pop sensation known for being a member of boy band One Direction, plunged to his death from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16, 2024.

A subsequent toxicology report revealed alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system.

Last month, Kate appeared to hit back at her late boyfriend’s sister for claiming that people are ‘using his death for fame’ 

Liam’s sister Ruth appeared to take a swipe at Kate, writing: ‘Everyone only seems interested in the public side of this. Some sadly seem more interested in the fame they can gain’

Now, a friend of Kate’s told the Daily Mail that she is ready to move on with her life after plenty of days when she wouldn’t even smile.

The source added that she is not paying attention to gossip and new reporting surrounding Liam’s death, including allegations from his friends that she is tormenting his family.

‘She’s hanging out with friends and she’s open to dating again, although she’s not quite there yet,’ the source said. ‘There was a point where she was definitely not okay, but she’s getting better now.’

The friend detailed Kate’s dark days after Liam’s death, which made headlines around the world and sparked a period of mourning from his global legion of fans.

‘There were months where I literally didn’t see her smile, and I was seeing her every day,’ the friend told the Daily Mail. ‘It was so concerning, she didn’t even seem like herself. She cancelled a lot of hangouts and just was almost a recluse.’

But now, the source said Kate is doing much better – adding she is back to posting fun-loving pictures on Instagram and seeing her friends.

‘She’s moving forward now,’ the friend said. ‘She knows it’s what he would have wanted.’