Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster have reportedly reached a “stalemate” in their 17-year marriage after the singer refused to pack up their life in LA and move back to the UK.
The “Forever Young” singer, 79, apparently promised his wife, 53, that they would sell their Beverly Hills mansion and return full-time to their Grade II-listed countryside mansion in Essex, which has 10 bedrooms.
However, according to The Daily Mail, Stewart has gone back on that promise and has rejected offers on their LA property since they put it on the market in December 2023 for $80m.
Stewart paid $12m in 1991 for the land situated in the Beverly Park neighbourhood, and commissioned architect Richard Landry to build their 28,000 sq ft mansion with nine bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. It also features a 4,500 sq ft guesthouse and a football pitch.
A source told the publication that Stewart finds LA convenient because he can easily fly to Las Vegas, where he is performing his residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. He announced “The Encore Shows” earlier this month, which will see him return to the venue for 12 dates in March, May and June in 2025.
“He gets to spend quality time with his grandchildren and hosts a banquet dinner almost every Sunday night at home for a crowd of his best friends,” the source said of Stewart’s life in LA.
However, Lancaster’s work is based in the UK, since she is a regular panellist on the ITV morning show Loose Women, and works as a special constable for the City of London Police. She later completed her training to become a special constable in April 2021 and was on duty for the King’s coronation last year.
“Penny has no plans to return to LA, which she’s not a fan of, while Rod has no plans to move back right now,” she source said. “They’re at a stalemate and Penny is angry that Rod’s gone back on his word. It’s about saving their marriage right now.”
The Independent has contacted representatives for the couple for comment.
Last year, Stewart hinted at his return to the UK, telling radio host Chris Evans it was “time to leave” during an interview with Virgin Radio.
Stewart said that his two youngest children, Aiden, 12, and Alastair, 18, go to school in the UK, and the time had come to make Essex their permanent home.
“The chance of me selling is very, very slim because I really love it so unless I get the right price I won’t sell it,” said Stewart.
“I love Los Angeles and the American people have been very good to me, but it’s time to leave. My two boys, [17] and 12, are going to school here [UK].”
Stewart and Lancaster first started dating in 1999, when she was 28 and he was 54. Stewart had been married twice before and had six children with four women by that point. They eventually married and share two sons.