Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster are desperately working on their 17-year marriage after the singer reneged on plans to sell his $74 million Beverly Hills mansion and return full-time to the UK.
The veteran British rocker, 79, promised Lancaster, 53, they would pack up their lives in Los Angeles to move to his sprawling $5.8million country estate in Harlow, Essex, after he revealed it was “time to leave” the US last year.
But DailyMail.com has learned the couple are now at a “stalemate”, with Stewart refusing to leave Los Angeles and a furious Lancaster refusing to stay after extending his Las Vegas residency and turning down two offers for the sprawling nine-bedroom property just over a month ago.
The news comes days after Lancaster, who has sons Alastair, 18, and Aiden, 13, with singer Maggie May whom he married in 2007, hinted at “family problems”.
“Rod loves his life in Los Angeles and flies to Vegas and back for his performances,” said an informed source. “He spends quality time with his grandchildren and hosts a banquet dinner almost every Sunday night at his home for a group of his best friends.”
Stewart, 79, has expanded her Las Vegas residence, turning down two offers for the sprawling nine-bedroom property (pictured) just over a month ago.
Stewart revealed her plans to move back to her native United Kingdom in June 2023 when she listed her 33,000-square-foot Beverly Hills abode, which also includes a three-story guesthouse, a pool and a sizable soccer field, for $70 million.
He then raised the asking price to $80 million in December, before lowering it by $6 million in February to leave a price of $74 million.
But Stewart has since taken the property off the market, leaving Lancaster – who regularly appears on British TV show Loose Women, works as a special constable with the City of London Police and calls the British countryside “home” – furious.
“Penny has no plans to return to Los Angeles, which she doesn’t like, while Rod has no plans to return right now,” the source continued.
“They’re at a stalemate and Penny is angry that Rod didn’t keep his word. Now it’s about saving their marriage.”
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Stewart and Lancaster for comment.
Stewart, who first moved to Los Angeles in 1975, paid $12 million for the land on which she built her stately yellow mansion in 1991 after hiring California architect to the stars Richard Landry.
The property features 12 bathrooms, a massive formal dining room for over 20 guests, a speakeasy, a movie theater, a wood-paneled library, a wine room, two gyms, a chef’s kitchen with dining area, a tea room, and is also currently home to their 1,500-square-foot model railroad.
An informed source told DailyMail.com: “They are at an impasse and Penny is angry that Rod has not kept his word. It is now about saving their marriage.”
Stewart revealed her plans to move back to her native UK in June last year when she listed her 33,000-square-foot Beverly Hills estate for $70 million.
It then raised the asking price to $80 million in December, before cutting it by $6 million in February and has now taken it off the market.
Other design highlights include French marble, Regency-era furniture and ornate ceilings.
Stewart confirmed her return to the UK last June, citing her children’s education as one of the main factors.
“The chances of me selling it are very, very slim because I really love it, so unless I get the right price, I won’t be selling it,” she told Chris Evans on Virgin Radio.
“I love Los Angeles and the American people have been very good to me, but it’s time for me to leave. My two children, aged 17 and 12, are going to school here (in the UK).”
The Grammy winner planned to make his palatial Essex estate, known as Durrington House, his permanent residence. He and Lancaster purchased the 10-bedroom, 18th-century property in 2016.
Lancaster recently referred to the mansion as “home” on Instagram, where she posted a photo of herself posing on the sprawling 46 acres of land.
“After a crazy couple of days and nights in central London, there’s nothing I like more than coming back to the countryside and lying on the cool grass on an early summer afternoon,” he wrote.
‘Breathing fresh air and the smell of the earth beneath me. Listening to the birds and watching the butterflies dance while my two faithful little dogs chase me. I am at peace, I am home.’
The former swimsuit model met the frontman in 1999 when she performed as part of his band while he was still married to his second wife, Rachel Hunter.
Lancaster is a regular on British television, works as a special constable with the City of London Police and calls the British countryside his “home” (pictured at his estate in Essex).
Stewart confirmed her return to the UK last June, citing the upbringing of her sons Alastair and Aiden as one of the main factors (pictured with the wider family in July).
Stewart and Lancaster purchased a sprawling Essex home called Durrington House for $5.8 million in 2016.
Hunter and Stewart separated that year and divorced in 2006. He had previously been married to Alana Stewart.
The singer has eight children with five women: daughters Sarah Streeter, 59, Kimberly, 43, Ruby, 35, and Renee, 30, and sons Sean, 42, and Liam, 28, plus Alastair and Aiden.
She also has three grandchildren, Delilah, 12, and Otis and Louie, both one.
Lancaster has been open about her marriage to Stewart and her secrets to maintaining a healthy relationship for nearly two decades.
But on Tuesday she alluded to “family issues” while discussing the royal family’s rift with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on Loose Women.
Asked if they should try to “fix” everything, Lancaster replied: “For me, I’m not judging one way or the other – you know, do I like Harry, do I think this or that?
“I’m actually thinking about the bigger picture, about family. We all have family issues to deal with from time to time.
“I think it’s about being able to repair some of those bridges, especially since there have been so many health issues within the family.”
The couple photographed at their home in the UK last year.
Stewart’s refusal to stop dancing follows the extension of his 13-year Las Vegas residency. He was forced to cancel his 200th show earlier this month due to illness.
Stewart’s refusal to stand up follows the extension of her 13-year Las Vegas residency, The Hits, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
The Sailing singer announced The Encore Shows earlier this month, which will see him return to the iconic venue for 12 dates in March, May and June next year.
This comes after she canceled two dates on her North American tour this month, as well as her August 7 performance for her Las Vegas residency, which would have been her 200th show, due to strep throat.
Stewart, who has had prostate and thyroid cancer, told The Sun in July: “I’m aware my days are numbered but I’m not scared. We all have to die at some point so we’re all in the same boat.”
“I’m going to enjoy these last years to the fullest. I say a few, probably another 15. I can do that easily, my friend, easily.”