Disclaimer: In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter what age Liam Payne’s girlfriend Maya Henry is. But, also, it is the greatest mystery of our time and we cannot rest until we know the truth.
Liam recently responded to a fan on Twitter who proffered that, while Maya is often cited as being 19, she may actually be 18 – meaning when they had a fling last year, she was just 17.
Liam replied, “19, don’t believe everything you read on the internet.” Oh, but Liam, what can we believe?
The confusion around Maya’s age arose because her 15th birthday was a widely publicised affair.
She’s basically Texan royalty and her multi-millionaire lawyer father spent $6m on her quinceañera – a traditional Latin American celebration of a girl’s 15th birthday (Maya’s mum is Mexican).
CHECK OUT: Celebrity couples we never saw coming
Celebrity couples we never saw coming slider with cover pic
1 of 17Swipe through to see all the surprising celebrity couples we never saw coming...
2 of 17Gabby Allen and Myles Stephenson
After her split from fellow Love Island star Marcel Somervillle, CBB star Gabby Allen announced she is now dating X Factor winner Myles Stephenson.
3 of 17Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Suits actress Meghan Markle began dating in October 2016 and married in May 2018. Their first child is due in Spring 2019.
4 of 17Channing Tatum and Jessie J
After splitting from his wife in early 2018, EVERYBODY was left in shock when reports suggested Channing Tatum is dating pop star Jessie J.
5 of 17Selena Gomez and The Weeknd
Nobody saw a romance between singers Selena Gomez and The Weeknd coming! But they went strong until October 2017 when the pair reportedly split up.
6 of 17Cheryl and Liam Payne
Cheryl and One Direction singer Liam Payne shocked the world when they announced they were dating back in February 2016. Despite a ten year age gap, the couple welcomed their first child, Bear Grey Payne, back in March 2017. However, in July 2018, Cheryl and Liam released a joint statement revealing they'd split.
7 of 17Katy Perry and Russell Brand
Katy Perry and Russell Brand married in 2010, much to the surprise of fans. Their marriage was short-lived, leading to a divorce in 2012.
8 of 17Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston
Taylor Swift and Tom Hiddleston were 2016's most talked about romance! Unfortunately, the couple went their separate ways a year later.
9 of 17Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna
Rob Kardashian started dating Blac Chyna in 2016, despite her previously dating Rob's sister's ex-boyfriend Tyga. They welcomed a baby girl together called Dream and later ended on very bad terms!
10 of 17Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews
Fans didn't expect Vogue Williams and Spencer Matthews to become a couple! The pair met when they were filming for Channel 4 show The Jump in 2017, got married in June 2018, and welcomed son Theodore in September 2018.
11 of 17Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher
Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher married in 2010 after a six year engagement. Nobody saw this marriage coming with the unusual movie roles Sacha plays!
12 of 17Stephanie Pratt and Jonny Mitchell
Love Island star Jonny Mitchell and Made In Chelsea's Stephanie Pratt left fans in shock when they confirmed their romance with this picture in September 2017. Sadly, the couple have split in December 2017.
13 of 17Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz
Actress Cameron Diaz married Benji Madden just two months after she met him, despite many not seeing their romance coming.
14 of 17Nicole Richie and Joel madden
After starring in TV show The Simple Life with her best friend Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie turned a lot of heads when she married Good Charlotte singer Joel Madden in 2010! They share children Harlow and Sparrow.
15 of 17Chris Martin and Jennifer Lawrence
After his split from Gwyneth Paltrow, Coldplay singer Chris Martin was spotted getting cosy with The Hunger Games actress Jennifer Lawrence. Despite not actually confirming a romance, the pair reportedly called things off in 2016.
16 of 17Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Fans of actor Aaron Johnson were left in shock when he married Fifty Shades Of Grey director Sam Taylor. Despite Sam being 24 years older than Aaron, the pair combined their surnames when they got married in 2012. They now have two daughters together, Wylda and Romy.
17 of 17Mary-Kate Olsen and Olivier Sarkozy
Olsen twin Mary-Kate married French banker Olivier Sarkozy in 2015, despite a 17-year age gap between the pair.
That event took place on 12 February 2016, attended by 600 guests, with Pitbull and Nick Jonas performing.
Instagram also gives us clues in the form of a “Happy 14th Birthday” from a friend to Maya on 15 December 2014 – might the party have been a belated bash? – and the fact Maya’s account seems to have been heavily edited – there are almost zero posts pre-2016.
A deep dive online uncovered three possible birth dates. In some places, her birthday is listed as 12 February 2001 – the date of her quinceañera. Elsewhere, it’s 15 June 2000.
NOW WATCH: "Should've had a poo!" Olivia Colman & Tobias Menzies talk The Crown and SO much more!
READ MORE celeb news
Millie Mackintosh shares 'bold' photo of her pregnancy boobs
Her make-up artist wished her a happy birthday this year on this date – which would make her brother Thomas’ 2 December 1999 birthday pretty impossible.
But the real spanner in the works is a direct quote from Maya saying her birthday is in December.
The wealthy family had starred in an online reality show called Hanging With Los Henrys, which has been almost entirely wiped from the internet – reportedly just after she started dating Liam.
However, one video remains in which Maya herself reveals she is 17 and will turn 18 in the December. The video is from 2018, which would mean Maya will turn 19 this December.
Put us out of our misery, please, Maya.
To read more stories like this, buy heat magazine's latest edition, OUT NOW
If you love Little Mix and Lewis Capaldi wrap your lugholes around heat Radio. Listen now.