Ellie Goulding will be supported by Zac Goldsmith amid marriage split after pair bonded over eco passion

POP star Ellie Goulding will be supported over her marriage split by multi-millionaire Tory Zac Goldsmith, according to his pals.

The peer, 48, who quit as an environment minister on Friday, bonded with the singer, 36, over green issues and they have dined out together.

We revealed last week that Ellie is spending time apart from her art dealer husband Caspar Jopling, 31.

Friends said multi-millionaire Zac would be “supportive” of Ellie, who has become a close friend over their shared love of conservationism.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Zac’s pals say he is supportive of Ellie and will be a willing listener and shoulder to lean on.

“Their friendship is not a secret as they have been pictured together over the last year.

“Ellie is very cultured and moves in the same circles as Zac.”

There is no suggestion of anything other than a friendship between Ellie and Zac, who quit as Environment Minister on Friday.

A source added: “They are close friends but there is no romance involved.”

Earlier this year Zac split from second wife Alice Rothschild, 39, mother to three of his children.

His first wife was former model Sheherazade.

Zac resigned from the Government after he was asked to apologise for comments he made about the Partygate probe — departing with a blast at PM Rishi Sunak for being “simply uninterested” in the environment.

Ellie and Zac were pictured enjoying lunch together at posh cafe The Garden in central London in June 2022.

They were both seen carrying a copy of a book called Rewilding The Sea: How To Save Our Oceans by environmentalist Charles Clover.

The pair were seen later that evening at The Wolseley in Mayfair before they both attended a book launch.

In October, Ellie enjoyed a night out at swanky private members’ club Loulou’s in Mayfair — and it was reported she was joined by Zac.

Ellie and Eton-educated Caspar, 31, had a son in 2021.

They met through mutual friends, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Zac’s relationship with Alice started behind the back of Sheherazade, with whom he has three children.