'She's cashing in!' Liam Payne's friends tell KATIE HIND they're appalled by his girlfriend Kate Cassidy's behaviour since his death - and reveal why his parents threw her out of his mansion...

Clutching a colourful soft toy, Kate Cassidy appeared forlorn as she left the London flat where she had been staying after jetting to the UK following her boyfriend Liam Payne’s tragic death in October last year.

The two suitcases she was carrying were then placed into a waiting taxi as she bid farewell to the One Direction star’s lavish central London apartment where she had spent time with him during their two-year romance.

Only what the pictures didn’t reveal was that Liam’s distraught parents Geoff and Karen had politely asked Kate to leave the property after she arrived there the day after their son died.

They barely knew Liam’s final girlfriend; their only meeting was thought to be at his funeral in November, which was held close to the singer’s main home in Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire.

She arrived for the sombre occasion with Liz Hurley’s son Damian, who, unbeknown to Liam’s fans, is a close friend.

To some, the move to get her out of the flat may seem cruel but those who know the Payne family say that Liam’s loved ones are ‘stunned’ at how Kate, an American model and influencer, has behaved since he plunged to his death from the balcony of his third-floor hotel suite in Buenos Aires, Argentina, aged just 31.

One associate of Liam said: ‘It feels like she is cashing in, it’s very sad to watch. She was a fan and now she seems to raise his name whenever it suits her.’

Last Tuesday, as she celebrated her 26th birthday, Kate once again caused a stir when she shared unseen photos of Liam on Instagram, writing alongside them: ‘Thankful for another year, and reflecting on the beauty of 25 – it’s a chapter that will always be a part of me. Here’s to 26.’

One snap was of the couple at a wedding, another was of them at Disneyland. The week before, she’d filmed a TikTok video as she looked through her possessions from around the time of Liam’s death.

These included a yellow gown and a pair of white stilettos – which she had worn to a wedding with Liam in August.

The discovery of these items made Kate emotional as she recalled the wedding, and shared a memory of ‘dancing the night away’ with Liam.

It’s not the first time Kate has taken to sharing her private moments with Liam.

Indeed, just three days after his death, she posted a cherished note from him that read: ‘Me and Kate to marry within a year/engaged & together forever 444. Liam.’

She added, ‘I know we’ll be together forever, but not in the way we had planned. You’ll always be with me. I’ve gained a guardian angel.’

While some of Liam’s fans may take comfort from seeing new pictures of him, those close to him have been left saddened, some even angry, that she continues to raise her profile by referencing him while his parents grieve.

‘Nobody has a problem with Kate being upset at Liam dying, but every time she shares a picture or video of him it helps her brand, gets her new followers. All those things help make someone’s profile bigger and bigger,’ says a former associate of the singer.

‘You have to wonder whether she is doing it for herself because it certainly isn’t for Liam or his family. It’s all starting to feel rather unsavoury.’

The couple met in September 2022 when Kate was a waitress in Charleston, South Carolina and Liam was on an American road trip with friends.

So charmed was he by Kate that he delayed his flight to London and the pair booked a hotel room. They spent the next two days together.

Kate had recently graduated from college and was considering her future. After meeting Liam, she realised a nine-to-five job was impractical if she was to make their future work so she turned to influencing. Liam supported her and she now has more than 2.5 million followers across all platforms.

It was at that time that the couple started a new life in America after setting up home in a spectacular rented £1.4million Spanish-style mansion near Miami, Florida.

It was here that Kate, who had accompanied Liam on his fateful trip to Argentina but had left early, heard he had been found dead. It later emerged he had invited two escorts to his room and his body revealed traces of alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant.

Kate’s decision to leave her troubled boyfriend, who was still battling with addictions to drugs and alcohol, and return to their Florida home led to much criticism from both Liam’s friends and fans.

In a bid to set the record straight, Kate flew from the US to London to give an interview with a red top newspaper for which she is thought to have been paid a ‘high five-figure sum’.

She hit back at critics who accused her of abandoning Liam and debunked internet conspiracy theories she’d returned to their Florida home after a break-up – explaining she had dashed back to look after their rescue dog, Nala.

Sources close to the Paynes say it felt like an ‘opportunity to clear her name’.

‘While people wanted to hear Kate’s story, it was all about her and why she made that decision,’ said a member of Liam’s circle.

She followed this up with an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine where she discussed Liam’s ‘struggles’, saying he was the reason for her involvement in the show’s new mental health campaign.

Sobbing on the live show from New Jersey, where she lives, Kate confessed she found it ‘hard to get out of bed’ after Liam’s death.

But it was what she said next that caused upset for Liam’s friends.

‘I genuinely believe Liam, in a way, guided me to this campaign and wanted me to be involved in this, to help other people,’ she said.

‘Nobody expects Kate to stay silent,’ said a friend, ‘but there seems to be something most weeks now. Kate was there at the end of Liam’s life and she obviously made him happy but she could be grieving away from the limelight, in private, like Liam’s poor, poor parents.’