Garth Brooks is thinking of buying a house in Ireland with his wife, Trisha Yearwoodin the middle an allegation of sexual assault against him.

Country Star, on “Inside Studio G” The Facebook Live show late last month talked about potential plans to buy a home in Europe, which Brooks, 62, attributed to his wife. The conversation was sparked by a video sent by an Irish fan referencing previous comments he made about him. living in the country.

“In fact, the Queen is pushing for the house in Ireland,” Brooks said. “I think the last time there, she fell head over heels in love with the country.”

The “Friends in Low Places” singer recalled playing two weekends of shows in Ireland with Yearwood, 60. “Everyone was so nice to her,” he said.

USA TODAY has reached out to Yearwood’s representative for comment.

The comments come after Brooks was charged sexual assault and battery in October by a former hair and makeup artist alleging he raped her in a Los Angeles hotel room in 2019.

In the lawsuit, filed by a Jane Roe court in California and obtained by USA TODAY, she claimed that she was first hired in 1999 as a hairstylist and make-up artist for Yearwood and that she continued to work for her “since over the years”. In 2017, she began doing makeup and hair for Brooks. The alleged abuse began two years later.

Garth Brooks denies it rape charges, says he’s ‘not the man they’ve painted me as’

Brooks has been married to Yearwood since 2005.

Roe recalled several instances of abuse, including one in which she was at Brooks’ house to do her hair and make-up when he would “come out of the shower, naked, with an erection and straightening and the penis to Mrs. Roe. He then proceeded to grab her hands “and force them onto his erect penis,” the suit states.

The lawsuit followed Brooks’ attempt to block sexual assault claims from the public in a John Doe lawsuit he filed Sept. 13 in federal court in Mississippi, the same day the country singer announced ending his Las Vegas residency. The filing claimed the sexual assault claims would “irreparably harm” his “reputation, family, career and livelihood.”

On October 8, Brooks amended his case, identified himself as John Doe, and asked a judge to preemptively declare Jane Roe’s allegations of sexual misconduct untrue and award her damages for emotional distress and defamation. In the complaint, Brooks also names the woman accusing him of sexual assault.

Garth Brooks claims to be a victim of an “ancestry”, calls himself a rape accuser

Roe’s attorneys — Douglas H. Wigdor, Jeanne M. Christensen and Hayley Baker — blasted Brooks for naming his client in his case in a statement to USA TODAY at the time.

“Garth Brooks has just revealed his true self,” the lawyers said. “With no legal justification, Brooks took it out because he believes the laws don’t apply to him.”

Brooks, who has denied all of Roe’s allegations, called himself the “victim of a shakedown.”

Contributors: Jay Stahl, Pam Avila, KiMi Robinson

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood are considering living in Ireland, he says