Title: Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s Relationship Complete Timeline
Headings: A Complete Timeline of Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s Relationship
A Complete Timeline of Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s Relationship
May 2, 2016: They meet at the Met Gala (probably).
Oct. 12, 2016: Swift and Alwyn attend the same Kings of Leon concert.
Nov. 12, 2016: Swift attends Alwyn’s movie screening.
May 16, 2017: Reports emerge that they’re dating.
June 5, 2017: They’re caught by the paparazzi in Nashville.
July 25, 2017: They’re caught again, this time in New York.
Oct. 20, 2017: Swift tells fans her new single “Gorgeous” is about Alwyn.
Oct. 27, 2017: Ed Sheeran spills the beans on Alwyn.
Dec. 11, 2017: The couple is spotted snuggling during an Ed Sheeran performance.
May 8, 2018: They post coordinating cactus photos to Instagram.
Sept. 19, 2018: Alwyn talks about Swift for the first time—but only to say he doesn’t want to talk about her.
Oct. 18, 2018: Alwyn speaks very, very briefly about Swift’s newfound political activism.
Nov. 23, 2018: Swift acknowledges Alwyn’s existence on social media.
Nov. 25, 2018: Alwyn reiterates that he’d like to keep his private life private.
Dec. 7, 2018: Alwyn opens up a teeny bit about their relationship.
Dec. 11, 2018: Swift attends Alwyn’s movie premiere in London.
Jan. 6, 2019: Swift and Alwyn attend the Golden Globes (separately).
Feb. 10, 2019: Swift and Alwyn step out at a BAFTAS after party.
March 2019: Engagement rumors begin.
May 2019: The couple is spotted on a couple dates.
August 2019: Swift releases Lover —and fans go nuts dissecting the lyrics.
September 2019: The couple is photographed on a private plane.
October 5, 2019: They’re seen together after SNL.
November 2019: Swift joins Alwyn for Thanksgiving.
Early December 2019: The lovers spend time in London.
December 16, 2019: Alwyn supports Swift’s acting career.
December 26, 2019: The couple spends Christmas together.
January 1, 2020: The duo are serenaded in the Maldives.
January 5, 2020: Alwyn and Swift sit together at the 2020 Golden Globes.
January 31, 2020: Miss Americana drops on Netflix.
February 12, 2020: They’re spotted at the NME Awards.
February 23, 2020: They celebrate Alwyn’s birthday.
March 24, 2020: We learn they’ve talked about marriage.
April 29, 2020: The lovers finally share some details on social media.
May 13, 2020: More photos arise.
July 23, 2020: folklore speculation begins.
July 24, 2020: folklore is released.
November 13, 2020: More lyrics are explained.
November 25, 2020: Swift confirms William Bowery’s identity.
December 3, 2020: The engagement rumors heat up again.
December 8, 2020: Swift shuts down engagement rumors.
December 11, 2020: evermore appears.
January 11, 2021: The couple is finally photographed again.
January 14, 2021: Swift hints she’s ready to bring the relationship into the public eye.
February 17, 2021: Swift reveals Alwyn helped her decide to speak out on political issues.
May 11, 2021: Swift shouts out Alwyn (and many others) in a BRIT Awards speech.
May 20, 2021: Marriage rumors continue to swirl.

Content: Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s Relationship Complete Timeline
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Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. A Complete Timeline of Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn’s Relationship
By Molly Mulshine, Savannah Walsh, Lauren Puckett and Starr Savoy
May 21, 2021
When Taylor Swift first began dating actor Joe Alwyn more than four years ago, it was almost immediately clear the couple had come to an agreement: Their relationship would be an intimate but private one, and they’d be a united front in protecting that privacy. Gone were the paparazzi photo ops of Swift’s days with Tom Hiddleston, and gooey Instagram pics—like the ones she’d posted with Calvin Harris—would no longer populate her social media. Instead, her accounts would focus on promoting her work and sharing photos of her other loves: cats Olivia, Meredith, and Benjamin. Still, a love story like Swift and Alwyn’s couldn’t stay behind closed doors forever, and since 2020, they’ve been more public about their relationship than ever before. This includes Swift’s confirmation that Alwyn co-wrote two songs on folklore under the pseudonym William Bowery and also helped pen three tracks from Swift’s latest record, evermore. As we eke out the details, scroll below for a timeline of their coupledom, leading up to their collaboration on Swift’s ninth album and the brewing engagement rumors.