Why David Harbour and Lily Allen’s marriage fell apart — inside the storm of songs, cheating and scandal

Once the picture of quirky romance — a British pop star and an American actor tying the knot in a Vegas chapel with Elvis officiating — Lily Allen and David Harbour’s relationship has since unfolded like a bittersweet song. Four years after their whirlwind wedding, the couple have officially gone their separate ways, and the details surrounding their breakup have played out both in interviews and, brutally in Allen’s latest album, West End Girl.

Here’s how their love story and heartbreak unfolded.

Lily Allen and Stranger Things star David Harbour got married in Las Vegas on September 7, 2020. The ceremony, officiated by an Elvis impersonator, was lighthearted and intimate. Harbour shared a cheeky Instagram caption calling himself Allen’s “devoted, low-born, but kind credit card holder,” perfectly capturing their playful dynamic.

The couple appeared inseparable — walking red carpets together and even giving fans a peek into their life through a 2023 Architectural Digest home tour of their New York townhouse.

Behind the scenes, however, things may not have been as picture-perfect as their press appearances suggested.

By late 2024, fans noticed Allen had stopped wearing her wedding ring. On her Miss Me? podcast, she hinted at feeling “uninterested in anything” and “spiralling,” sparking rumours of strain in the marriage. That same month, she was spotted on the celebrity dating app Raya — the very platform where she and Harbour had first met — with a wry bio that read, “Looking for someone to do couple’s therapy with.”

Allen’s candid admissions about “difficult times” on her podcast only fueled speculation. Reports emerged that she had rejoined Raya amid rumours of infidelity, though neither party commented.

By February, multiple outlets, including People, reported that the couple had separated after four years of marriage, with sources saying Allen was “devastated and not in a good place.”

In September 2025, Lily Allen officially filed for divorce. Around the same time, she began teasing West End Girl — her first album in seven years — described as her most personal and emotionally raw work yet.

When West End Girl dropped on October 24, fans quickly realised it chronicled the highs and lows of her marriage to Harbour. In songs like Allen referenced heartbreak, betrayal, and a marriage gone wrong, explaining explicit proof of cheating. Without ever naming Harbour directly, she implied he had broken their agreement, describing moments of shock and disillusionment.

In Tennis, she even recounts confronting her husband over messages with another woman — later revealed by Daily Mail to be costume designer Natalie Tippett, who worked with Harbour on the 2021 Netflix film We Have a Ghost. Tippett confirmed she was aware of the album’s references but declined to comment further, citing her young daughter’s privacy.

Days later, the New York townhouse featured in their Architectural Digest tour — and referenced in Allen’s lyrics — was listed for sale. It seemed symbolic: The final piece of their shared life going up for closure.

In a candid interview with Esquire UK, Harbour addressed life after 50 and the mistakes he’s made — though he didn’t mention Allen by name. He spoke about learning from pain and growth through hardship, saying,

“Even the slip-ups and mistakes are part of the journey. If I changed anything, I’d change everything — and then I wouldn’t be an artist anymore.”

The actor also added that he’s focused on nurturing “people I want to love and be good to".