\
Could Beyonce and Jay-Z swap California for the Cotswolds? Friend tells EDEN CONFIDENTIAL the couple is looking for new base after Los Angeles wildfires
Jeremy Clarkson could lay claim to being King of the Cotswolds – though David Beckham might demur, as might billionaire JCB tycoon Lord Bamford.
However, it seems that there could soon be a new queen in that increasingly gilded neck of the woods.
No, not a member of the House of Windsor, but someone who, in the opinion of her adoring fans, runs the world – Beyonce.
The Texas-born superstar, who has recently embraced country music, will be in London in June for the English leg of her Cowboy Carter World Tour.
And I’m told that she and her husband, rapper Jay-Z, are in the mood to put down a root or two over here.
A friend explains: ‘The wildfires have given them a good reason to look outside of Los Angeles to build new bases.
‘They will always be based in LA but the UK is on the agenda. Beyonce loves the UK because they support everything she does.’
The couple, adds the pal, are ‘focused on the Cotswolds now because of the land and space. They’ve stayed there. They’ve been looking for properties and will buy if they find somewhere that feels like home, but are looking at short-term agreements while they make their decision.’
+3
View gallery
Beyonce, who has recently embraced country music, will be in London in June for the English leg of her Cowboy Carter World Tour. And I’m told that she and her husband, rapper Jay-Z, are in the mood to put down a root or two over here in the UK
+3
View gallery
Jeremy Clarkson could lay claim to being King of the Cotswolds – though David Beckham might demur, as might billionaire JCB tycoon Lord Bamford. However, it seems that there could soon be a new queen in that increasingly gilded neck of the woods with Beyonce
+3
View gallery
The couple, adds the pal, are ‘focused on the Cotswolds now because of the land and space’
A rental arrangement could be tasty for someone with a property that meets the couple’s standards.
In 2017, Beyonce, 43, and Jay-Z, 55, moved into a 12,000 sq ft residence in Malibu, just after the singer gave birth to twins, Rumi and Sir. With a cinema, gym, wine cellar and ocean views, La Villa Contenta was theirs for $400,000 (£300,000) a month.
Later that summer, the couple, who also have an older daughter, Blue Ivy, 13, paid $88million (£66million) for a 30,000 sq ft mansion in Bel Air, California, with eight bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, four swimming pools and a 15-car garage.
‘Beyonce wants touring to feel as normal as possible for the kids which is why hotels aren’t ideal,’ explains the pal.
Definitions of ‘normal’ vary, of course. In 2023, Beyonce and Jay-Z, while retaining the property in Bel Air, broke the record for a Californian house sale, paying $200million (£150million) for a 40,000 sq ft mansion.
‘They have two [UK] properties in mind,’ I’m told. Daylesford, Lord Bamford’s 1,700-acre estate, perhaps? Or Blenheim Palace?
A representative for Beyonce was unavailable for comment.
