Ed Sheeran’s Private Lyrics Spark Split Fears — But the Truth About His Marriage to Cherry Seaborn Is Far More Complex
When Ed Sheeran set out to create a music video for his powerful track Camera, his original plan was deeply personal. He wanted to use intimate, home-recorded footage of his real-life love story with his wife, Cherry Seaborn — a visual thank-you to the woman who stood by him from his early busking days to global superstardom.
But at the last moment, after long conversations with Cherry, Ed chose a different path. Instead of exposing their private memories to the world, he cast Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor to portray a fictionalised version of his quiet, steadfast wife — recreating the “best moments” of a friendship that quietly grew into a lifelong romance.
“As you all know, we are hugely private,” Ed explained to fans at the time. “Some things we just want to keep for ourselves.”
That privacy has defined their relationship from the very beginning. Despite a personal net worth believed to be as high as £370 million, Ed married his childhood sweetheart in a small, secluded ceremony in 2018, waiting almost a full year before confirming it publicly. He also chose to reveal both of Cherry’s pregnancies only after their daughters — Lyra, 5, and Jupiter, 3 — had already been born. To this day, he does not allow his children to be photographed.
Why Fans Suddenly Feared the Worst
That’s why last week’s release of the deluxe edition of his album Play caused such a stir.
In contrast to his usually guarded approach to family life, Ed’s new lyrics felt startlingly raw — touching on emotional distance, unresolved conflict and the strain of parenthood. The tone led many fans to fear that his marriage might be in trouble.
In one track, Problems, he sings:
“Flowers in our garden are dying… we got problems and we don’t know how to solve them.”
In another, War Game, he admits:
“Inches from moving out and moving on… either we’re in love or we’re insane.”
Elsewhere, he shares guilt about time away from his children:
“Every time I leave the house, you think I’m forever gone… missed out on so much, I really need to make it up.”
To listeners, it sounded like a relationship cracking under pressure. But those close to the couple insist otherwise.
Friends are adamant that Ed and Cherry, both 34, remain fully united, and that the singer never intended to spark speculation about the state of his marriage.
Ed ‘Blindsided’ by the Reaction
One source close to the star revealed that Ed has been taken aback by the intense public reaction.
“Ed writes constantly — sometimes five or six songs a day,” the source said.
“He pulls from experiences across his life, not necessarily from the present moment. Some of the lyrics reflect isolated incidents from years back, but they were never meant to become some huge public confession.”
According to the insider, Ed now regrets just how exposed his private world suddenly feels.
“He’s fiercely protective of his family. He never expected this level of scrutiny and, frankly, wishes he hadn’t opened that door.”
Photographed in Paris this week at the start of his 14-country tour, Ed appeared sombre and reflective beneath a black puffer jacket and baseball cap.
A Love Story Built Long Before Fame
Ed and Cherry first met at Thomas Mills High School in Suffolk and became close friends before losing touch when Cherry left to study at Duke University in North Carolina.
They reconnected in 2015, the same year Ed became the most-played artist in the UK — and this time, friendship blossomed into romance. Three years later, they married quietly at their local church near Ed’s Suffolk estate.
Unlike her superstar husband, Cherry avoided the spotlight, maintaining a demanding career in consulting at Deloitte within climate and sustainability until last year.
Friends say the recent lyrics may not have gone down well at home.
“Cherry won’t be thrilled about their struggles being aired publicly,” one source said. “Ed likely had a very quiet but firm conversation at home after it all came out.”
The Wild Years That Haunted Their Relationship
Those close to the couple believe the emotional material on the album reflects earlier turbulent years, when Ed’s rising fame dragged him into a heavy party lifestyle.
At the height of his success, he became a fixture on the celebrity circuit, with drinking sessions alongside stars like Wayne Rooney, Russell Crowe and James Blunt. While Ed bounced between late-night parties, Cherry often remained at home — worried.
“He got really out of control for a while,” said one friend. “He didn’t realise how bad it was at the time. Cherry bore the emotional impact of it. She was frightened for him.”
After leaving that world behind, Ed swung to the opposite extreme — becoming almost completely reclusive. At one point he admitted he had not left his West London home for 120 days straight.
“That was hard for Cherry too,” the friend added. “Life was always either full throttle… or silent isolation.”
The Turning Point That Changed Everything
The true wake-up call came in 2019, when Cherry fell pregnant with their first child.
Ed later admitted that her words stopped him in his tracks.
“She said, ‘If my waters break, do you really want someone else to drive me to the hospital?’” he recalled.
“And that was it. I realised I never wanted to be drunk holding my child — ever.”
Though he has not given up casual drinking completely, he has cut hard drugs out of his life entirely. The death of his close friend Jamal Edwards in 2022 only reinforced his determination to stay clean.
What the Future Holds for the Sheerans
Far from pulling apart, Ed and Cherry are planning to relocate their family to Nashville in 2026 so they can stay together while he tours the US. Friends insist their marriage remains strong.
“They’re a dream couple,” one insider said. “Cherry has paused her entire career to support him and their family. Whatever tension the album caused, it’s nothing flowers and a cheeky smile can’t repair.”
For now, Ed returns to the UK this weekend for shows in Manchester and Coventry, before continuing his world tour.
And one thing, his friends say, is clear:
Whatever happens next in Ed Sheeran’s marriage — he won’t be singing about it again anytime soon.