According to the New York Post, the 32-year-old, who is currently on the pair’s On The Run world tour, visited a $21.5 million penthouse in Chelsea last month.

A source told the publication: "She was very quiet, as if she was looking on the sly."

Insiders told the paper that Jay Z's alleged absence is telling because he has always played a strong role in their real estate searches.

Sources suggest the penthouse is for the star and her and Jay Z's two-year-old daughter Blue Ivy.

"There’s no way a $20 million apartment is for her mother or her sister. That would be wildly unlikely," the source said.

However, the stars seem unruffled by persistent rumours that their marriage is in trouble.

They put on a solid display of unity at Thursday night's concert in Chicago with the rapper embracing his wife as per usual, and the songstress later posted an image of the two of them in action on stage to Instagram.

Image credit: Getty