Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn made their first public appearance together in eight months on Monday as they dined in London’s Mayfair.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2019, have always kept their relationship low-key, but Ed, 32, sparked concern among fans when he hinted at marital problems in his latest album.
Autumn Variations, released in September, seemed to suggest that their relationship was on the rocks at some point, with one song suggesting that Cherry, 31, “may have ended her relationship.”
During their date night, Ed and Cherry appeared in good spirits but kept their distance, while the Grammy-winning artist reserved his hugs for passersby on the street.
He later shared a snap from their dinner on Instagram, in which he flashed his medium figure at the camera while enjoying a glass of red wine.
As a couple: Ed Sheeran and Cherry Seaborn made their first public appearance together in eight months on Monday when they had dinner in London’s Mayfair
Concerns: The couple, who tied the knot in 2019, have always kept their relationship low-key, but Ed, 32, sparked concerns among fans when he hinted at marital problems in his latest album
Alcoholic: Ed later shared a snap from their dinner on Instagram, in which he flashed his medium figure at the camera while enjoying a glass of red wine
The image was part of a photo dump of random images that he captioned, “Virgin Dump, more to come.”
Ed was dressed casually on the outing, wearing a shearling-lined jacket, which he layered over a red sweater and paired with black jeans.
Cherry also kept it simple in jeans, pairing baggy jeans with a jacket over a green shirt.
It was the first time the couple had been seen together in public since they celebrated Cherry’s birthday at Ed’s restaurant Bertie Blossoms in Notting Hill in April.
The appearance came after he highlighted marital problems in his seventh album.
Ed’s song “Punchline” focused on an imploding romance, with the lyrics: “I can’t help being destructive right now.” It’s been weeks since I saw your draft.
“There is such a loud silence in my room. This is what losing hope might sound like.”
During the emotional chorus, it continued: “I can’t help it, but I love you so much.” I can’t bear this letting go. I still feel like we could work it out or something.
“I’m just flesh and bones. ‘Why is your heart so ice cold?’
Ed and Cherry have been together since 2015 and are parents to daughters Jupiter, 17 months, and Lyra, two.
In another track, Ed described their “bumpy road” and emphasized in the song that this is “not the end of our lives.”
He sings, “This is not the end of our lives, this is just a bumpy journey. ‘I know everything will be okay.’
In the song “The Day I Was Born” he sings: “I broke up with my lover a few months ago. If they were here, I probably wouldn’t be alone.”
However, it is unclear which songs are based on Ed’s personal experiences, as he has previously spoken about the album being about both his life and the lives of his friends.
Concerns: “Autumn Variations,” released in September, seemed to suggest that their relationship was on the rocks at one point, with one song suggesting that Cherry, 31, “may have ended her relationship.”
Hiya: During their date night, Ed and Cherry appeared in good spirits but kept their distance, while the Grammy-winning artist reserved his hugs for passersby on the street
Snap happy: Ed also enjoyed taking selfies with fans who approached him on the outing
Low-key look: Ed was dressed casually on the outing, wearing a shearling-lined jacket which he layered over a red sweater and paired with black jeans
Dressed casually: Cherry also kept it simple in jeans, pairing baggy jeans with a jacket over a green shirt
What were Ed’s lyrics about marital problems?
Ed sang in Punchline: “I can’t help being destructive.” It’s been weeks since I saw your draft.
“There is such a loud silence in my room. This is what losing hope might sound like.
During the emotional chorus, it continued: “I can’t help it, but I love you so much.” I can’t bear this letting go. I still feel like we could work it out or something.
“I’m just flesh and bones. ‘Why is your heart so ice cold?’
In another track, Ed described their “bumpy road” and emphasized in the song that this is “not the end of our lives.”
He sings, “This is not the end of our lives, this is just a bumpy journey. ‘I know everything will be okay.’
In the song “The Day I Was Born” he sings: “I broke up with my lover a few months ago. If they were here, I probably wouldn’t be alone.”
Ed and Cherry met at the age of 11 while attending Thomas Mills High School in rural Suffolk.
Cherry, the year below him, stood out for her natural hockey skills and Ed for his obvious musical talent.
While the two parted ways after high school, they reunited in New York City in 2015 and began dating shortly after.
The key to the relationship’s success appears to be their humble Suffolk roots.
Cherry grew up with her mother Ann, her father Matthew, an architect, and her younger brother in a charming period property in a village outside Framlingham. Charlie works in the same business as his future brother-in-law and writes film and theater music.
Meanwhile, Ed lived in Framlingham with his mother and father, Imogen and John, and his brother Matthew, but dropped out of school at 16 to try his luck as a singer. At the beginning he was a busker and slept under an arch near Buckingham Palace.
Two years after they met, Ed proposed to Cherry in 2017.
He broke the happy news to his then 19 million followers on Instagram with a sweet, again reserved photo of them hugging each other.
He wrote: “Just before the New Year I got myself a fiancé.” “We are very happy and in love and our cats (Dorito and Calippo) are also thrilled.”
The following year, the couple tied the knot in a low-key ceremony just days before Christmas.
A source said: It was very quiet – just Ed’s oldest schoolmates, a small family and the priest.
“There were only 40 people there – so no Taylor Swift, no record company executives or any royals or pop star friends.” He didn’t want any fuss, and he wanted it to be something entirely for them – just a small winter wedding.
“Neither of them cared that much about making a big deal about it. Cherry just wanted to get it over with without any problems or disruptions.”
Last sighting: It was the first time the couple had been seen together in public since they celebrated Cherry’s birthday at Ed’s restaurant Bertie Blossoms in Notting Hill in April
Seen on screen: While the couple hasn’t been photographed together since April, Cherry played a major role in Ed’s Disney+ documentary, which premiered May 3
Happy news: Ed and Cherry announced the birth of their first child, daughter Lyra Antarctica, in 2019 with a sweet Instagram post in which he said, “We’re on cloud nine.”
Good news: In May 2022, Ed announced that he and Cherry had secretly welcomed another daughter, Jupiter Seaborn Sheeran
Although the couple hasn’t been photographed together since April, Cherry played a major role in Ed’s Disney+ documentary, which premiered on May 3.
The series followed Ed after he learned life-changing news, revealing his hardships and triumphs during the most challenging time of his life.
Combining an unprecedented personal archive, interviews with his wife and loved ones, and intimate performances, the series broadened the lens to explore what Ed thinks about the world, himself and his music.
Much of the program was dedicated to his wife’s health issues and how she helped Ed when he struggled with his mental health issues.
The 32-year-old singer suffered a traumatic year last year when his best friend Jamal Edwards died and Cherry was diagnosed with a tumor while pregnant with their second child.
The couple welcomed daughter Jupiter in May 2022 after keeping the pregnancy a secret. However, he later revealed that the couple was plagued by “fear, depression and anxiety” because Cherry was diagnosed with a tumor that she would not have been able to treat until after childbirth.
In an Instagram post, the star explained that he struggled with his mental health last year as he tried to cope with his wife’s health issues while grieving the loss of Jamal.
Ed announced the release of his sixth studio album, Subtract, in the post, explaining that it was inspired by the personal tragedies he has faced.
He wrote: “I worked on Subtract for a decade, trying to shape the perfect acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs, with a clear vision of what I thought it should be.”
“Then, at the beginning of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health and ultimately my perspective on music and art.”
“Writing songs is my therapy.” It helps me understand my feelings. I wrote without thinking about what the songs would be, I just wrote whatever came to mind. And in just over a week, I replaced a decade’s worth of work with my deepest, darkest thoughts.
“Within a month, my pregnant wife was told she had a tumor and there was no course of treatment until after the birth.”
“My best friend Jamal, a brother of mine, died suddenly and I was in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter.”
Candid: In an Instagram post last month, the singer explained that he struggled with his mental health last year as he dealt with his wife’s health issues and the loss of a friend
Sad news: In February 2022, Ed was devastated when his close friend Jamal Edwards tragically died after suffering cardiac arrest caused by cocaine and alcohol use
He continued: “I suffered from anxiety, depression and restlessness. I felt like I was drowning, with my head below the surface, looking up but unable to gasp for air.
“As an artist, I didn’t feel like I could credibly put a work into the world that didn’t accurately reflect where I was and how I needed to express myself at this point in my life.”
“This album is exactly that.” It opens the trap door into my soul. For the first time, I’m not trying to make an album that people will like, I’m just putting out something that’s honest and true to where I’m at in my adult life.
“This is the diary entry from last February and my way of understanding it. ‘This is subtraction.’