Tom Cruise's shock exit from the United Kingdom had fans incredibly surprised when he was seen quietly leaving it behind for good in January. The Mission: Impossible star owned a £35 million apartment in the highly coveted London neighbourhood of Knightsbridge, which he has now left behind to start a new chapter on the other side of the Atlantic.
The 63-year-old actor has previously declared himself an "Anglophile". He also said in a 2022 interview: "I spend a lot of time in Britain, and that's not just for work reasons. I just love being here. It's a fantastic blend of old and new... Britain is trendy, too, and has a lot that other countries then copy."
© WPA PoolFor anyone to leave behind a place they love so much, there must be a good reason, and it seems that Tom's choice was a rather reluctant one.
The actor's apartment overlooked Hyde Park, where a series of recent high-profile crimes have taken place, with the most recent being a daylight robbery at a luxury Bucherer watch store near his property. A source told the Daily Mail that this event was the turning point for Tom.
Over the space of a few minutes, masked thieves broke into the shop and stole 20 high-value watches. This may have concerned residents that the area was becoming increasingly unsafe to live in, per the publication.
Though the Top Gun star was a quiet presence in the area, he was often seen running and was well-known by the staff in the nearby hotels and shops. As a result, the concierge staff at his apartment block were surprised at how quickly he was seen leaving, according to a report in Metro.
Tom Cruise's £35 million Knightsbridge apartment
In 2021, Tom purchased a penthouse that overlooks the beautiful Hyde Park in central London. He has integrated himself into British culture and high society over the past 40 years, from his outings to Wimbledon Centre Court and his weekend strolls around his local area.
In fact, he has become so well-loved by British natives and public figures that guest lists for premieres of his movies have even included people such as the Prince and Princess of Wales, who joined him for the official premiere of Top Gun: Maverick.
