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It's over. The six-year relationship between Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn has reportedly come to an end.
Rumors have been swirling since Taylor is on her groundbreaking "Eras" tour - and Joe has yet to show up at one of the shows. Now reports are that the couple are done - though don't expect a breakup album any time soon, as the two have apparently just "grown apart" and there's no real drama to be written about.
Fans were tipped off, they think, to the situation by Taylor herself. She changed the set list on the March 31st show from the infamous love letter to Alwyn, “Invisible String,” to “The 1” during her March 31 stop in Arlington, Texas. That song is all about the person that isn't the one.
With the help of Internet sleuths, uber-fans and our own research, here's a timeline of the Swift/Alwyn relationship - with footnotes. Follow along:
They meet: While there's no confirmation, fans have analyzed TayTay's lyrics - and have concluded that the singer and the British actor first met at the 2016 Met Gala. Exhibit A - Taylor's song "Dress," which fans say points to that being when the two met. Lyrics: "Flashback to when you met me / Your buzz cut / And my hair bleached." At the 2016 event, Swift had bleached blonde hair and Alwyn was sporting a buzzcut.
The world finds out: May 2017, the Sun reports the pair were in a relationship, while adding they had been seeing each other secretly for months. "I’m essentially based in London, hiding out trying to protect us from the nasty world that just wants to ruin things," Swift wrote in a diary entry included in the deluxe edition of "Lover." "We have been together and no one has found out for 3 months now."
Joe meets the folks: In June 2017, the couple reportedly headed to Nashville to visit Swift’s parents, basically confirming that they were serious about their relationship.
Being seen: Alwyn was spotted in the crowd during Swift’s performance at iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball in New York City in December. According to sources, "Joe stayed for the whole show and they later left together as well. They are staying at Taylor’s N.Y.C. apartment."
It ain't official 'til it's INSTAGRAM official: A year after their relationship was first reported, both Swift and Alwyn shared pictures of one another standing beside a giant cactus. Up to that point, Alwyn’s account was previously private. Swift’s post talked about her "Reputation" tour kicking off, and Alwyn was spotted in the audience for the opening night in Glendale, Arizona, wearing a baseball cap to try and conceal his face. When Taylor sang "Gorgeous", which is said to be about Alwyn, she was seen pointing to him in the crowd.
It becomes undeniable: In July 2018, the couple were seen in Turks and Caicos as Swift took a break from her "Relationship" tour. Then, the sightings...
- A few months later, Swift and Alwyn held hands at the premiere of his film, "The Favourite", at the New York Film Festival. Although the singer didn’t walk the red carpet with him, she did attend the screening, and the pair were later seen holding hands.
- In February 2019, Swift skipped out on the Grammys for the second year in a row, joining Alwyn at the BAFTA Awards instead, as "The Favourite" picked up seven nominations.
- Swift was a musical guest on "Saturday Night Live" in October 2019, and after the show, she stepped out with Alwyn to the afterparty. The pair were seen holding hands heading to the event at Japanese restaurant Zuma.
- Alwyn was also at Swift’s side at the New York City premiere of "Cats" in December 2019, with the pair leaving Lincoln Center hand-in-hand.
Joe starts appearing in Taylor's work - then starts lending a hand:
- The couple rings in the New Year in the Maldives in January 2020
- Joe appears in Swift’s "Miss Americana" documentary, which gave fans a rare glimpse of their relationship, and showed them cuddling backstage at one of her concerts, as well as kissing his hand during a car ride.
- Taylor released her eighth album, "Folklore," in July 2020, and fans began to speculate Alwyn was a secret co-writer after "William Bowery" was listed as a collaborator - something Taylor confirmed in Disney+’s "Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions."
Yes or no? Joe says "No" - well, he doesn't say either way: Rumors that the couple were engaged began in April 2022, with Alwyn telling the Wall Street Journal there was nothing to them. "If I had a pound for every time I think I’ve been told I’ve been engaged, then I’d have a lot of pound coins,” he joked. "I mean, the truth is, if the answer was yes, I wouldn’t say, and if the answer was no, I wouldn’t say."
A leather jacket isn't a diamond ring: Swift was seen wearing Alwyn's leather jacket after winning best music video at the 2023 Grammy Awards in February 2023.
"End Game": Like the title of her song says, it's the end game, as reports circulate that the couple has gone their separate ways after six years together. No confirmation from either party - yet - but they've always kept things to themselves.
Read the full article at ET Online