Liam Payne’s ex Cheryl to oversee his $32.2M estate after his death as former One Direction star didn’t leave a will

Seven months after former One Direction singer Liam Payne’s tragic death, his former partner Cheryl has been named an administrator of his multimillion-dollar estate. According to a report by People magazine, court documents issued last week state that Cheryl and attorney Richard Mark Bray have been appointed to manage the estate, which has a net value of approximately $32.2 million and a gross value of around $38 million in the UK.

Cheryl, 41, shares an 8-year-old son, Bear, with Liam. The couple dated between 2016 and 2018 and welcomed their son in 2017. Liam died in October after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. He did not leave behind a will.

Under UK law, when someone dies without a will, the estate typically goes to the lawful spouse, or, in the absence of a marriage, to the nearest blood relatives. As per a report in the BBC, Cheryl and Bray “manage the money, but they currently have limited authority and cannot distribute it.” The outlet also noted that if there is no surviving spouse or civil partner, the deceased’s children generally inherit the estate.

Cheryl issued a heartfelt public statement shortly after Liam’s death, referring to his death as an “earth shattering event,” and urging people to remember “that we have lost a human being.” She added, “Liam was not only a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, a brother, an uncle, a dear friend and a father to our 7 year old son. A son that now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again. Please give Liam the little dignity he has left in the wake of his death to rest in some peace at last,” she said.

The legal proceedings around his estate continue, with Cheryl and Bray handling administrative responsibilities until full authority is granted.