Friends of pop star Lily Allen believe her former husband David Harbour may have rekindled his relationship with ‘Madeline’, The Mail on Sunday understands.
Sources close to Lily and the Stranger Things actor have turned detective and conclude there is enough evidence online to suggest American costume designer Natalie Tippett – the woman who inspired one of the most talked-about songs on Allen’s hit new album – was in touch with Harbour as recently as September.
It was previously believed their relationship had ended two years ago when Allen uncovered her ex-husband’s affair.
But alarm bells rang, they say, when Tippett shared photographs of herself at what appears to be the exclusive Thermea Spa Village in Winnipeg – around the same time that Harbour, 50, is also known to have visited while filming in the Canadian city for his new film, Violent Night 2.
The actor was spotted on numerous occasions at the spa resort by fans, who claimed online that they saw him there during breaks from filming.
The shoot finished on October 15 and Allen’s new album – with its devastating accusation that her husband was unfaithful with a mystery woman named ‘Madeline’ – was officially released nine days later.
Ms Tippett, 34, who has admitted that she was the ‘Madeline’ in question and that the lyrics featured real texts exchanged between herself and Allen, shared pictures on Instagram of herself sitting by an outdoor campfire on September 4, which sources have matched to images of the spa.
It is understood that Ms Tippett, who lives in New Orleans with her two-year-old daughter – 1600 miles away – was not working on the film.
David Harbour at the Stranger Things Season Five world premiere earlier this month
Lily Allen’s new album West End Girl accused Harbour of being unfaithful with a mystery woman named ‘Madeline’
It has led friends of the couple to deduce that she was there to visit Harbour.
At least one source in their circle believes that, in fact, the pair have remained in touch since – and that, in a bizarre twist, they may have even been brought closer together by the notoriety of the song.
As one source told the MoS last night: ‘We know that he and Natalie have been together recently.’
The MoS revealed last month that the ‘Madeline’ on Allen’s album is Ms Tippett, who met Harbour when she worked as a costume designer on his 2023 film We Have a Ghost, which was filmed in her home city of New Orleans.
It was thought that Harbour had ceased all contact with Ms Tippett after Allen discovered the affair.
When the MoS tracked her down at her home she confirmed that she was the woman cited in Allen’s song, adding: ‘Of course I’ve heard the song. I have a family and things to protect. It’s a little bit scary for me.’
She has also reposted messages from friends which refer to her as Madeline.
One friend posted a birthday tribute saying: ‘Happy birthday Madeline, oops, I mean Natalie!’
Natalie Tippett, left, has admitted that she was the ‘Madeline’ in question
The exclusive Thermea Spa Village in Winnipeg where Ms Tippett was photographed
Another friend shared a picture of the character Madeline from the classic children’s stories by Ludwig Bemelmans, which again Tippett reposted to her own followers.
Allen dressed up as Bemelmans’ character for Halloween in an apparent swipe at her ex-husband’s mistress.
It is not clear whether Harbour and Ms Tippett remain in touch, but it seems unlikely that they both visited the same remote Canadian spa by coincidence.
Harbour is said to have been living in the Canadian city during September and October to film at Polo Park, just six miles from the spa. He is reprising his role as Santa Claus for the sequel of the Christmas action comedy, alongside The Good Place actress Kristen Bell.
One fan who spotted him at the resort wrote on Facebook on October 13: ‘It’s a good thing for stars like David Harbour that you can’t have your cell phone with you at Thermea Spa. He was sitting right beside my wife and I in the sauna! He’s in Winnipeg shooting a movie.’
Others confirmed he had been seen there several times during the previous weeks, suggesting he was also there in September. One added: ‘A few weeks ago he sat right beside me in the sauna as well.’
The pictures posted by Ms Tippett feature her make-up free and wearing a brown leather jacket over a cream jersey top while sitting outside in front of a wooden lodge building.
They also feature an outdoor cauldron over a firepit, which appears to be one of the resort’s ‘firepit reset areas’.
The spa does not have accommodation, but recommends a number of nearby hotels.
Harbour met Allen on the celebrity dating app Raya in 2019, and the couple married a year later in Las Vegas.
In lyrics from her album, Allen suggests her husband first ‘went astray’ in the summer of 2021 while she was starring in the West End play 2:22 A Ghost Story.
After that, she claims, he asked for an open marriage and she reluctantly agreed.
Allen has said the album is ‘a work of autofiction’ which was ‘inspired’ by the split.
