Liam Payne's sister shares emotional tribute on One Direction's 16th anniversary: 'He would celebrate today'

Liam Payne's sister, Ruth Gibbins, has paid an emotional tribute to her late brother as fans around the world marked the 16th anniversary of One Direction's formation.

Taking to Instagram Stories, Ruth reflected on the milestone by sharing what appeared to be a screenshot of the text message Liam sent on July 23, 2010, informing that he had been placed in a boyband following his appearance on The X Factor.

Alongside the image, she wrote: "I don't have the words atm for any of this, I just know Liam would celebrate today as he was so proud of this band and so this is for him, for being part of the best boyband ever."

Ruth also addressed her late brother directly, adding: "@liampayne miss you, you should be here. I hope someone up there is sitting listening to you sing your songs and all your memories you have to tell today."

She paired the tribute with One Direction's 2011 track Stand Up, explaining her choice by writing: "Song choice because no one plays the bangers anymore."

Photo: Instagram @roo0990

One Direction was formed on July 23, 2010 after Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik auditioned as solo contestants on The X Factor UK. Although none progressed individually, judge Nicole Scherzinger brought the five singers together to form a group, a decision that launched one of the most successful boybands of all time.

The anniversary marks the first One Direction milestone since Liam's death, making the occasion especially emotional for his family, bandmates and fans. Across social media, Directioners celebrated the band's legacy while remembering Payne's contributions to its global success.

During their time together, One Direction released five studio albums, topped charts around the world and became one of the defining pop acts of the 2010s before going on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.

For Ruth, however, the anniversary was about more than the band's achievements. Her heartfelt message made clear that she believes Liam would have been proudly celebrating the milestone alongside fans, ending her tribute with a poignant reminder of how deeply he is missed.