Singer Ellie Goulding and her husband Caspar Jopling, an art dealer, had been separated for at least six months.
The Daily Mail can reveal that Ellie’s team had desperately tried to keep her troubles a secret, insisting that she and the Eton-educated Caspar wanted it to remain a private matter for the sake of their son Arthur, two.
But after weeks of discussions about how to reveal their breakup, the pop star’s team finally revealed they had been spending time apart – blaming their “hectic schedules” for the demise of their marriage.
The news came nearly four years after they married in a star-studded ceremony at York Minster in 2019 with guests including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, James Blunt, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom.
Last Tuesday night, Ellie, 33, was seen without her wedding and engagement ring as she attended the Serpentine Summer Party with Caspar, 31. The pair looked glum.
Issues: Ellie Goulding’s team had tried to keep her issues with husband Caspar Jopling a secret, insisting they wanted it to remain a private matter for the sake of their son Arthur, two
Happier times: Singer Ellie Goulding and her husband Caspar Jopling, an art dealer, had been living apart for at least six months (pictured at their wedding in 2019)
After the party, Caspar went to another party at the Chiltern Firehouse in central London without Ellie.
He was seen there with friends, including Tiffany Zabludowicz, the daughter of British-Finnish-Israeli billionaire businessman Poju Zabludowicz and fellow art collector.
At the beginning of June, the couple was seen in London with their son and Ellie had a ring on her finger.
A source said: ‘Things have been going badly for at least six months now, both parties have really tried to be happy together for the sake of their son, but these things can only last so long before it becomes unsustainable.
Ellie’s team insisted that she and Caspar were happy, that any suggestions that they were breaking up were completely untrue and now this. It has indeed all been very mysterious.
“There had been suggestions of problems and even a full breakup for quite some time, but they insisted everything was fine.”
Earlier this year, social media users noticed that the pair had unfollowed each other on Instagram, though they later started following each other again.
It has been reported that they are yet to discuss the divorce and a source close to the couple told The Sun newspaper that neither has been in a new relationship.
Looking back: Ellie and Caspar – the son of former Tory MP Michael Jopling, 92 – were introduced to each other in 2017 through their mutual friends – including Beatrice and Eugenie (pictured this month with son Arthur)
Ellie and Caspar – the son of former Tory MP Michael Jopling, 92 – were introduced to each other in 2017 through their mutual friends – including Beatrice and Eugenie.
A year later, Caspar, who was living in New York at the time after studying at Harvard University, proposed a £70,000 engagement ring and they married in the summer of 2019.
After their wedding, they held a lavish reception at Castle Howard, North Yorkshire.
Caspar now works for the London auction house Sotheby’s.
Ellie went without her wedding and engagement ring when she attended the Serpentine Summer Party with husband Caspar on Tuesday.
At the party, Ellie wore a dramatic leather ensemble and spent much of her time in front of cameras with her hand in her pocket, but it was abundantly clear that her left hand was free of the £70,000 ring she got from Caspar in 2018 .
Just hours after the event, the couple seemed to be going their separate ways when art dealer Caspar decided to continue the party and hit the town at Chiltern Firehouse after the posh bash with friends.
Ringless: Ellie went without her wedding and engagement ring when she attended the Serpentine Summer Party with husband Caspar on Tuesday
Out and about: Just hours after the event, the pair seemed to be going their separate ways when art dealer Caspar decided to continue the party and hit the town with friends at Chiltern Firehouse after the posh bash
Where is it? At the party, Ellie wore a dramatic leather ensemble and spent much of her time in front of cameras with her hand in her pocket, but it was abundantly clear that her left hand (left) was free of the £70,000 ring she got from Caspar received in 2018 (right)
On the road: The art dealer enjoyed a night out with friends at the chic establishment
Ellie and Caspar married at York Minster in August 2019 and first learned they were expecting their son while celebrating their one year anniversary in 2020.
The award-winning artist revealed in April 2021 that she was embracing her new pregnancy figure.
In an interview, the songwriter said, “A revelation: I’ve always had a runner’s body and now I’ve got a bigger butt and these pretty nice boobs!”
The fitness enthusiast also described her pregnancy cravings, admitting she has a penchant for canned sardines and Weetabix Minis, even visiting McDonald’s twice in the past eight months.
Of her eating habits, the songwriter added to The Telegraph’s Stella Magazine: “[tinned sardines and Weetabix Minis] are not eaten at the same time… it was only two [times she went to McDonalds!’].
The Starry Eyed hitmaker also talked about discovering she was eight weeks pregnant during a romantic trip to Italy for her first wedding anniversary.
Ellie said: ‘I thought I had an iron deficiency and got blood tests, which came back fine, but my progesterone levels were high…
Tough Times: The couple is said to still be close and continue to co-parent their son Arthur
“Then I started to struggle a little bit with sports. That was a sign to me that something had changed.’
The star echoed her comments when she announced her baby news to Vogue, sharing, “I want a better word than feminine, [but]-I have curves I’ve never had before. I enjoy it. My husband enjoys it.
“I actually went from being smug about how healthy my salads were and my breakfasts and eating nuts and seeds, and then all I wanted was McDonalds.
“And I was kind of terrified, I suddenly wanted all the bad stuff! Whatever this baby did when it took over my body, it was like ‘Hell no – I don’t want broccoli, spinach, kale! I just wanted sugar and carbs.”