They are one of Hollywood’s longest lasting golden couples, and Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban recently hit their 19th wedding anniversary milestone – a rare event for Tinseltown romances.

However, weeks later, a major question mark was raised over the seemingly loved-up pair when the A Family Affair actress, 58, was revealed to have filed for citizenship in Portugal – over 4000 miles from the home she shares with Keith, 57, and their daughters Sunday, 17, and Faith, 14.

To make matters even more confusing, Nicole submitted her application to the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) with only her name alone on the paperwork – a move that has sparked speculation of trouble in paradise between the pair.

Now an insider tells Closer that even those close to the couple were left shocked by the unexpected move, which comes amidst Nicole’s reported house-hunting in the picturesque European country.

A source says, ‘This has really come as a bolt from the blue for people, they can’t understand why she’d get citizenship somewhere without Keith. They are known to have this very solid marriage but this turn of events has of course started people whispering that this is a sign of trouble in paradise.

‘They’ve just celebrated a big anniversary and were very lovey-dovey, so it would certainly be a shock if there is some sort of friction, but they’re both very practiced at putting on a front for the fans, so it’s not out of the question.’

The couple, who met at a gala in 2005 and wed the following year, set up their home in Nashville back in 2008, with Nicole saying of their idyllic lifestyle, ‘We have a really good life in Nashville that’s very simple, quiet, and nourishing because we’ve made it like that.’

But there is no denying the pair are sharp property moguls, also boasting a portfolio that reportedly equates to around $282 million in real estate, including homes in Sydney, Nashville, New York and LA.

With the couple already owning a home in Portugal, Nicole is now believed to be ‘eyeing’ up another property within the Costa Terra Golf Club & Ocean Club Resort, an exclusive coastal spot where the likes of George Clooney, Princess Eugenie and even Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have already snapped up property.

However, it was later revealed that Keith’s current tour commitments in the US have prevented him from attending the mandatory in-person appointments with the country’s immigration office, with sources reporting that he could file for his own citizenship at a later date.

But now our insider says Nicole’s decision to storm ahead with her own application instead of waiting for Keith could be a sign that he may not be as willing to spend extra time in Europe.

They tell us, ‘Nicole insists it was just something she needed to do, and that Keith can join her whenever he wants without having residency. She wants to buy property and this will make it easier, it’s as simple as that, according to Nicole, who’s rolling her eyes at the suggestion that this means she and Keith are struggling.

‘But she’s definitely driving this Portugal move, to the extent that she’s putting it solely in her name, which is telling people that Keith may not be on board with it.

‘Even if it is just a formality to buy property, the way Nicole says it is, setting up a new residence in Portugal is certainly going to complicate things for Keith. He’s still grinding away at his career, and that keeps him tied to the States.’

The couple have famously navigated a long-distance marriage for years due to their mutual career commitments.

While Keith’s tour will take him to Australia and Canada before heading back to the states this year, Nicole’s 2024 was jam-packed with filming a staggering three movies and two TV series.

And now the source says that while Nicole has her heart set on Portugal, Keith would love to spend more time at their luxury condo in Sydney.

The insider says, ‘They’ve been juggling a long-distance marriage for years, but this adds a new layer. Keith would never put up a fuss or try to stop her plan, he’s always a huge cheerleader, but there’s no way he’s going to want to spend a load of time over in Europe. His life is in Nashville and when he isn’t there, he wants to be home in Australia.

‘This is going to mean a lot more time apart and they already don’t see each other much, it’s no wonder people are seeing it as a bad sign. He has so little downtime, adding a trip to Europe if he wants to spend time with his wife will be tough.’

There could also be a deeper meaning to Nicole’s wish for European citizenship, as it would mean she can travel through Europe freely and, most importantly, would be able to visit her eldest daughter Bella, whom she shares with ex-husband Tom Cruise, in London.

The pair were sadly estranged for years after Nicole turned her back on scientology but are reported to have made contact in the last few years and are said to have enjoyed a ‘tearful’ reunion alongside her son and Bella’s sibling Connor last year.

‘Getting a place in Portugal can satisfy that need for her and it will mean she can pop over and see Bella at the drop of the hat,’ the insider now says.

‘Their relationship has really strengthened and Nicole wants to nurture it with more time spent together. She says she’d get a place in London but it’s so dreary, she needs more sunshine.’

And the source says Keith, who has said his life ‘began’ after meeting Nicole two decades ago, would do anything to make his wife happy – even if that means raising a few eyebrows in the process.

They tell us, ‘They’ve weathered much bigger storms than this and he’s the type of guy that loves to see his wife happy, and Nicole really adores Europe, she always has.

‘They’ve always given each other room to grow, even if it means spending time apart now and then. It is understandable that this has given a lot of people a shock. A married woman applying for citizenship without her husband is always going to raise eyebrows, but the hope is this will just be one of those phases where they do their own thing and then come back together stronger.’