In a shocking turn of events, it has been disclosed that “Game of Thrones” stars Kit Harington and Rose Leslie experienced a break-in at their £2 million country home located in Suffolk.
This unsettling occurrence took place despite heightened security measures, including the installation of 6-foot-high oak gates, at the historic Grade II-listed 15th-century property. These upgrades were put in place following previous incidents involving unauthorized access.
Harington and Leslie, who have reportedly become well-integrated into the local community, were among several victims of a series of burglaries that swept through Suffolk in the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Reports suggest that the intruders targeted an outbuilding on the couple’s picturesque part-moated Tudor estate. They also reportedly hit another nearby residence around the same time.
In response to a surge in break-ins during mid-December, Suffolk Police have increased patrols in rural areas and urged residents to remain vigilant and safeguard their properties against potential thieves and intruders.
Details regarding whether any items were stolen during the burglary remain unclear, as does whether the celebrity couple was at home during the incident.
One villager said that Harington, 39, and Leslie, 38, and their two young children had made friends in the local area and impressed neighbours with their friendliness.
‘Everyone knows Kit and Rose are here and we’re proud that they chose our little bit of the countryside to live in,’ she said.
Game of Thrones stars Kit Harington and Rose Leslie have suffered a break–in at their £2million country estate in Suffolk (pictured)
It is believed the raiders targeted an outbuilding at the couple’s part–moated Tudor farmhouse
It comes after extra security measures including 6ft high oak gates were installed at the rambling Grade II–listed 15th Century property (Pictured: The dining room in the home)
The Hollywood A–listers, who are said to have settled well into the local community, apparently fell victim to burglars amid a string of break–ins across Suffolk
‘But we’re also very protective of their privacy, so it was upsetting when we heard that they’d been broken into, along with some other local people.
‘Unfortunately, rural crime is just a part of life out here these days and everyone is much more on their guard than they used to be.’
The couple, who have a son aged four and a two–year–old daughter, split their time between Suffolk, London and Los Angeles, where their acting careers, particularly Kit’s, have taken off since Game of Thrones ended in 2019.
Having captivated GoT viewers with his portrayal of warrior Jon Snow, heartthrob Harington thrilled fans when his and Leslie’s character, fierce wildling Ygritte, fell in love, around the same time as the actors themselves became a couple.
Harington bought the thatched mediaeval house in Suffolk, surrounded by eight acres of land, in 2017, and married Scots–born aristocrat Rose, grand–daughter of a Baron, the following year, near her family seat at Wardhill Castle, Aberdeenshire, with many of their GoT co–stars in attendance.
Among the first improvements the couple wanted to make to their new timber–framed, six–bedroom home in 2021 was to make it more secure and private.
Since moving into the house in an area recommended by their friend, Suffolk–raised Ed Sheeran, they said their privacy and security had been ‘continuously breached’.
In a planning application for the imposing wooden gates, the stars said they had experienced ‘increasing’ incidents of trespassers on their property, who were there ‘purely from an unwelcome and intrusive desire to observe the occupants’.
The planning application requested solid oak gates, measuring almost 6ft tall, to be fitted at two different locations on the property from where there were previously ‘clear views’ into their garden.
The couple’s application read: ‘Since the change in ownership in 2017, the privacy and security of the occupants has been continuously breached.
Mr Harington (pictured) bought the thatched mediaeval house in Suffolk, surrounded by eight acres of land, in 2017
Game of Thrones stars Kit Harington and Rose Leslie were married near her family seat at Wardhill Castle, Aberdeenshire, in 2018, with many of their GoT co–stars in attendance
‘[This is] not in order to view the architectural and historic merits of the building, but purely from an unwelcome and intrusive desire to observe the occupants.
‘Whilst the new owners understand they generate a considerable amount of interest, this has sadly led to increasing incidents of unwelcome and unsolicited people coming onto to the property.
‘The owners have a right to their privacy and quiet enjoyment of their property without intrusion.’
It continues: ‘There are two key points which afford clear views into what would normally be considered private areas of garden for any householder.
‘It is therefore proposed to install a pair of solid oak gates at both points.
‘This will achieve an improved level of privacy and security for the occupants and help to minimise the constant invasion of that privacy.’
In January 2025 the couple won a two–year battle to convert the large barn into guest accommodation after their plans risked being derailed by Britain’s commonest bat.
After a colony of common pipistrelle bats were discovered living in the building, ecological consultants demanded ‘at least one bat emergence survey’ should be undertaken last Summer after 39 sightings were recorded on three separate occasions in 2022.
But planning officers allowed the conversion to go ahead when the Haringtons agreed to modify another nearby barn to become a ‘compensation roost’.
The couple promised to minimise light pollution and protect roost areas in their revised plans.
In January 2025 the couple won a two–year battle to convert the large barn into guest accommodation after their plans risked being derailed by Britain’s commonest bat
A Suffolk Police spokesman told the Daily Mail that they had received two separate reports of burglaries of outbuildings in the same village this month.
And in a Facebook post in mid–December, police warned of a recent spate of burglaries in nearby areas.
They added: ‘Over 230 miles were covered by officers with assistance from Norfolk& Suffolk Roads Policing Unit, checking vulnerable areas such as building sites and outbuildings, engaging with residents, and offering crime prevention advice.
‘Just because you do not always see us, does not mean we are not out there.
‘Many vehicles were stopped and occupants spoken to as part of proactive checks, intelligence was gathered with further investigations taking place following the stops.’
As well as keeping their property and outbuildings locked, residents were advised to consider installing CCTV cameras around the perimeters.
A spokesperson for the couple declined to comment.
