People got a very clear picture today of what caused Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s amicable split after six years of dating.
A source close to Swift and Alwyn told the outlet that while Swift and Alwyn had been talking about marriage, Alwyn struggled with Swift’s fame, and personality differences between the pair made it clear to them that they weren’t compatible long-term.
“Joe has struggled with Taylor’s level of fame and the attention from the public,” the source said. “The differences in their personalities have also become harder to ignore after years together. They’ve grown apart.” Alwyn, of course, made a point to avoid talking about Swift in interviews and even expressed his hope last May that people would stop caring about their relationship eventually.
Multiple sources told People that Swift and Alwyn were “talking about marriage as recently as a few months ago.” But the outlet’s main source explained Swift realized Alwyn wasn’t the one for her given their differences, leading to their recent but undramatic split. “Taylor didn’t see them working out in the long run,” the source said.
That source pointed out that Alwyn got to know Swift when she was in retreat from the world after her dramatic 2016 summer and then when the world itself was shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. Multiple sources told People their passion for creativity and art brought them closer during that time.
“They [were] able to continue growing their relationship in this insulated way [during COVID],” the outlet’s main source said. “But he didn’t really ‘know’ her yet outside of that bubble.”
Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn at the 2020 Golden Globes.
Alwyn and Swift’s relationship wasn’t always smooth behind the scenes, the source said. “They’ve had rough patches before and always worked things out, so friends thought they would take some time apart [now] but eventually come back together,” the source explained. “Ultimately [they] weren’t the right fit for one another.”
Alwyn and Swift truly are on good terms, though, the source said, and Swift is doing her best to move forward. “They are friendly. She doesn’t have anything bad to say about Joe,” the source noted. “They just grew apart. Taylor is staying very focused on her tour right now. There is a lot of respect still between them.”
A source offered Daily Mail similar intel today as well, saying Alwyn struggled with his career and Swift being as famous as she was. “Ultimately, they both realized they were not on the same page anymore,” the source claimed. “It’s been hard for Joe trying to make it in Hollywood and not quite becoming leading man material while dating one of the most famous women in the world over the last six years. It was easier during the pandemic when it was just the two of them, but once things returned to normal, Taylor Swift the superstar emerged, and their differences were even more apparent. They really made a go of it and tried everything they could but ultimately were unable to save the relationship.”
The new reports come a day after a source close to Swift told CNN that Alwyn and Swift intend to transition into friendship. “Taylor and Joe broke up a few weeks ago,” the outlet’s source said. “They simply grew apart and plan to remain friends.”
Entertainment Tonight, which broke the news, got similar intel from its own source. “The relationship had just run its course,” the source said. “It’s why [Alwyn] hasn’t been spotted at any shows.” The source added that the breakup was “not dramatic.”
Neither Swift, Alwyn, nor their reps have commented on the news yet. Swift was seen filming a music video in Liverpool, England last week and is set to perform in Tampa, FL on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday this week for the next concerts in her Eras tour.
Senior News and Strategy Editor
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring New York City.