She’s currently got the world at her feet – with three shiny new Grammy awards to add to her collection, including the top prize for Album of the Year, and global frenzy surrounding her upcoming world tour. But while it’s safe to say that Beyoncé is at the apex of her career and success right now, there’s no denying she has some underlying stresses at home.

Last week, the superstar broke the internet after announcing her highly-anticipated Cowboy Carter Tour 2025 – releasing dates and locations hours after she made history as the first Black female artist to win Best Country Album at the Grammys, and also righted the wrong that her fans and family have complained about for years: that she’s never won best album. But still, there was an elephant in the A-list filled room: the fact that her husband, Jay-Z, is still facing claims of historical sex abuse and is currently fighting a sexual assault lawsuit filed against him.

The rap mogul has vehemently denied the allegations, calling them “heinous in nature”. But as he cheered his wife on last week, insiders tell us their happy, celebratory faces belied the bitter reality behind the scenes: that Jay-Z (whose real name is Shawn Carter) is still under fire, and that – sadly – Beyoncé’s going to have to make some changes when it comes to their long-lived partnership as a result. According to insiders, the married pair are still rock solid and she supports and believes him; but, having worked and performed together for so long, including co-headlining their joint On The Run tour in 2014, Bey’s now having to lay down the law with her husband when it comes to her upcoming gigs, and keep him on the bench for the foreseeable. What’s more, we’re told the music icon is being heavily encouraged to do so by the only other person she trusts as much as her husband: her sister, Solange Knowles.

“Beyoncé isn’t looking to divorce Jay-Z, but she’s going to drop him from her world tour,” says an insider close to the 43-year-old, who was visibly overcome with emotion last week at the prestigious music awards do, after winning the top Grammy award that has long eluded her. “She and Jay have toured together many times, even when concerts have been Beyoncé-led with cameo appearances from him for their duets like Crazy In Love and Upgrade You. But this time, under Solange’s pleas, Bey has decided it’s better for business to not have Jay-Z anywhere near her on stage while his child sex abuse claims are still fresh in the air. The damage it could do to her brand would be devastating, especially if sponsors decide not to pay her millions to be associated with the tour. Plus, there’s some speculation that feminist groups may even stage protests at her gigs if she allows him to share the stage.”

It’s no secret that Jay-Z and Solange have a tempestuous history. In 2014, the younger Knowles sister was infamously caught on video hitting her brother-in-law in an elevator after the Met Gala – sparking reports (that were later confirmed) that Jay-Z had cheated on Beyoncé. All parties have since made amends, and Bey and Jay have long since put their marital struggles behind them. But still, we’re told Solange has always kept a protective eye over her sister, and – on this occasion – her cautious nature is in all of their best interests. After all, the last thing Jay-Z wants is for any negative attention to be transferred from him to Beyoncé as he continues to fight the shocking claims made against him.

Last month, the 55-year-old filed a new motion seeking to dismiss a lawsuit brought against him by a woman who claims that both he and Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs [who is currently in prison facing a litany of sex abuse offences] had sexually assaulted her in 2000 when she was just 13. In his filing, which came after an earlier request for dismissal was rejected by a judge, Jay-Z’s lawyers referenced several alleged inconsistencies in the woman’s account of the events of the night. The unnamed woman had initially filed a lawsuit just against P Diddy, but later added Jay-Z to the filing, claiming that both men had drugged and raped her at an afterparty hosted by Combs after the MTV Music Awards. Jay-Z is still waiting for a decision as to whether the lawsuit will be dismissed, but he’s made his outrage and denial over the allegations known since they first emerged late last year.

In an open letter he posted to X, the rapper said that lawyer Tony Buzbee, who is representing the unnamed woman, was a “deplorable human” who had attempted to blackmail him for money. He added: “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”

Still, despite Jay-Z’s vocal and unrelenting denial of all allegations, it’s safe to say he’s still been tarnished by the fallout – not least since both he and Beyoncé have a famously close former friendship with P Diddy. The disgraced rapper is awaiting trial later this year for crimes including sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution – with a lengthy prison sentence looking more than likely. Already, the heat is on Beyoncé to distance herself as much as possible from the negative press surrounding her former friend, who has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges stacked against him – but now that her husband is also implicated, we’re told she has no other choice but to cut several professional ties between them. She’s still devoted to him as a wife and the mother of their three children, Blue Ivy, 13, and twins Rumi and Sir, seven, but – as a professional collaborator – it’s looking like those days are gone, at least for now.

“P Diddy was like family to Jay and Beyonce,” our source explains. “While he’s awaiting trial for his alleged misdemeanours, there’s every chance that Jay could get named in more lawsuits that will only add to Bey’s drama. So, Solange has begged her not to have him on stage. She’s being extra cautious about her big sister’s career and doesn’t want him attracting any more negative headlines towards her.”

As Beyoncé won big at the Grammys last week, her husband of 16 years delightedly cheered her on. Here’s hoping he’ll still be supporting her from the sidelines, if not the stage, in April as she embarks on her epic world tour.