Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn Call It Quits After Six-Year Relationship
According to a source close to the couple who spoke to PEOPLE, Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn have ended their six-year relationship.
The announcement of their split coincides with Swift's ongoing sold-out Eras tour, where the actor has not been seen accompanying her.
Throughout their relationship, Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn have maintained a reputation for being exceedingly private, with the 33-year-old Grammy winner and her 32-year-old English actor beau deflecting rumors of engagement that have swirled around them.
Alwyn even joked about the frequency of these rumors in a previous interview with WSJ. Magazine, saying, "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."
Regarding the possibility of getting married to the singer-songwriter, the actor replied, "I mean, the truth is, if the answer was yes, I wouldn't say, and if the answer was no, I wouldn't say."
Swift and the Boy Erased actor started dating in 2016, and a source close to the couple previously shared with PEOPLE that Swift is content with their relationship, saying, "She is very happy. He is her rock. Their relationship is mature and wonderful."
During the pandemic, the couple worked on music projects and won a Grammy Award for their collaboration. Alwyn contributed to Swift's sister albums, Folklore and Evermore, using the pen name William Bowery. Folklore won the 2021 Grammy for album of the year, while Evermore was nominated for the same award in 2022.
Swift expressed her appreciation for Alwyn's contribution and revealed that he was the first person she played all her songs to. "I had the best time writing songs with you in quarantine," she said.
In the Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions film released in November 2020, the singer revealed the story behind their collaboration. "I thought, 'Hey, this could be really weird, and we could hate this, but because we're in quarantine, and there's nothing else going on, could we just try to write this song together?'," she said.
Alwyn is acknowledged as a co-writer for "Betty" and "Exile" from Folklore and for "Champagne Problems," "Coney Island," and "Evermore" from Evermore.
In December 2020, Swift shared with Apple Music's Zane Lowe that she and Alwyn share a love for sad songs. "Joe and I really love sad songs. We've always bonded over music," she said. "We write the saddest songs. We just really love sad songs. What can I say?"
It's been speculated that several of the love songs on Swift's 2017 album "reputation," including "Gorgeous," "Call It What You Want," and "Delicate," were inspired by Alwyn and their understated romance.
In October 2018, the actor broke his silence about the relationship and refused to speak about his girlfriend in an interview with British Vogue. Even when prodded to talk about their undercover courtship, Alwyn continued to demur.
"I know people are curious about others' private lives, but I don't understand why," Alwyn said in an interview with Total Film. "Personally, I don't feel like it's something I want to share and have it picked apart by those who know nothing about it. It's not theirs to have."
"I understand people's interest in that aspect," the up-and-coming actor shared with British Vogue. "We have managed to keep our personal lives very private, and I think that has now registered with the public...but I'd much rather discuss our professional work."
The couple made a rare public appearance in August 2018, holding hands while out in London, a month after their vacation in Turks and Caicos. Swift, who was also filming Cats at the time, chose to attend the BAFTAs with Alwyn instead of the Grammys.
They were also seen celebrating with friends after the Oscars in February, with Swift sharing a picture of herself in a stunning Ralph & Russo gown that night.