Lily James and Matt Smith PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Couple reunite

Lily James and Matt Smith appeared to confirm they’re still an item, despite rumours of a split.

The couple were spotted enjoying a low-key lunch outing at The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead, London on Tuesday afternoon before leaving in the same taxi- after not being pictured together in four months.

Their date comes just hours after Lily, 30, was seen enjoying the company of actor Max Ianeselli as they exited the star-studded Giorgio Armani Fashion Awards afterparty At Harry’s Bar in Mayfair, London together on Monday.

It had been claimed that Lily had secretly split from Matt, 37, after five years and the actor was alleged to have been leaning on his Crown co-star Claire Foy, 35, for support. 

Mamma Mia! actress Lily wrapped up in a black sweater and high waisted jeans, paired with heeled leather boots as she walked behind Doctor Who star Matt.

The beauty donned a slate grey overcoat, a berry woolen hat and stylish shades, with her tresses styled in loose waves.

Still going strong: Lily and Matt have been dating for five years but had not been seen together for months – until now

No problems here: The duo appeared to still very be much an item as they left the popular venue, which has previously been attended by the likes of Harry Styles and Taylor Swift 

What’s going on? Mamma Mia! actress Lily wrapped up in a black sweater and high waisted jeans, paired with heeled leather boots as she walked behind Doctor Who star Matt

Relaxed: The beauty donned a slate grey overcoat, a berry woolen hat and stylish shades, with her tresses styled in loose waves

Matt donned a grey tee, jeans, a chunky gold pendant and a dove grey coat as he walked along chatting with Lily. 

The Spaniard’s Inn has a rich, colourful history dating back to its original opening on the Finchley boundary in 1585. 

Dick Turpin’s father reputedly served as its landlord, with the notorious highwayman a regular visitor, due to the inn’s proximity to the coach lanes used to ferry wealthy travellers into London. 

Co-stars: It had been claimed that Lily had secretly split from Matt, 37, after five years and the actor was alleged to have been leaning on his Crown co-star Claire Foy, 35, for support [pictured last year]

More recently its celebrity clientele include former One Direction star Harry Styles, who owns a property nearby. In 2009 it was listed as one of Britain’s best pubs.  

Matt starred as a young Prince Philip opposite Claire as Elizabeth II in the first two series of The Crown.

And now close friends say Claire has been a support for Matt, whose relationship with Lily has been the subject of increasing talk among showbiz insiders. 

Foy has been single since splitting from her actor husband Stephen Campbell Moore, the father of her daughter Ivy-Rose, in 2018.  

Matt and Claire have formed a close and mutually supportive friendship, and have been spending time together near their different homes in North London in recent weeks, a source told The Mail on Sunday.

The two Crown stars recently appeared together on stage in an acclaimed production of Lungs at the Old Vic in London.

The play, in which they portrayed husband and wife, required them to spend extensive time together in rehearsals and over three weeks of performances.

The friends seemed to revel in each other’s company at the opening night after-party in October.

Speaking to Vogue as she promoted the climate-change drama, Claire gushed of the actor: ‘To me, Matt is my friend and we acted together, as opposed to me seeing him as Prince Philip.

‘From the inside it makes sense, from the outside, maybe not. I think the most important thing is I want to be good for Matt – and, I presume, Matt wants to be good for me.’

Around the same time, onlookers said the two stars looked relaxed and happy in each other’s company as they strolled on the streets of London, on one occasion giggling as they shared jokes. 

Meanwhile, Lily had been enjoying a girls’ holiday in South Africa with her stylist friend Rebecca Corbin-Murray.

On screen: The pair shared a Royal romance as the young Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the first two series of The Crown

Describing each other as ‘post-traumatic stress disorder buddies’, the two women have documented their holiday on social media, posting from a variety of spectacular locations on a daily basis.

Lily posted an image of her and Rebecca at an animal sanctuary with the words ‘National Cheetahs’ garishly emblazoned on it – prompting commentators to suggest that she was making a mischievous response to the relationship rumours.

The Cinderella star fell for Matt in 2014 when they met on the set of the film Pride And Prejudice And Zombies. 

But they had not been seen together in public since August, when they enjoyed a night out in Kentish Town with a friend who was visiting from America.

The friend posted pictures of Lily dancing in the street, while Matt was seen joining the friend for a cigarette break under a bus shelter.

Lily, who played Lady Rose MacClare in Downton, was absent from photos from Matt’s 37th birthday celebrations in October.

The beauty once vowed never to talk about Matt in public in case their romance ended in tears, saying: ‘If you’ve never said anything, there are no soundbites to haunt you when you’re crying into a box of Kleenex after it all goes wrong.’ 

Relationship: Lily had not been seen with boyfriend Matt for several months, leading to speculation the pair had called it quits  [pictured in September 2018]