Has Zendaya Taken Taylor Swift’s Crown As London’s New Girl Next Door?

Once upon a time, it was the now-you-see-her, now-you-don’t nature of Swift‘s houdini-like existence in London that had our minds in a chokehold. Now that she’s a billionaire record-breaker with an all-American boyfriend, Zendaya has taken her place as the capital’s most unassuming, yet incredibly famous, resident.

It’s rumoured that the Euphoria star and Holland purchased their first home together last year in Richmond, near to where Holland grew up and where his family is still based. When the news initially broke, headlines around the world were dedicated to the fact that it couldn’t be true. Zendaya? In London? What about Los Angeles? Then she was pictured with a coffee in-hand strolling out of a local Waitrose and the naysayers were muted. It doesn’t get more London than that.

Then, when the Challengers tour wrapped, Zendaya disappeared from the public eye (lifting a few notes from her predecessor Swift), and suddenly she popped up in jeans and a jumper on a dog walk in south London with her Schnauzer, Noon, and a little brown paper bag that looked like it may well contain a flat white and a slice of cake in-hand. Celebs, they really are just like us.

That’s not all of their London love affair. In May, when Holland began his run as Romeo in the West End production of Shakespeare’s classic love story, of course Zendaya was there to support him in the audience. Not only did she show up to the Duke of York’s Theatre to support her boyfriend, she also wore a Shakespearean Vivienne Westwood gown to do so proving that our adopted A-lister not only shares our collective love of takeaway coffees and dog walks, but themed dressing too. We have no notes, not a single one. All hail London’s coolest, sweetest and most understated couple.

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Naomi May is a freelance writer and editor with an emphasis on popular culture, lifestyle and politics. After graduating with a First Class Honours from City University’s prestigious Journalism course, Naomi joined the Evening Standard as its Fashion and Beauty Writer, working across both the newspaper and website. She is now the Acting News Editor at ELLE UK and has written features for the likes of The Guardian, Vogue, Vice and Refinery29, among many others.