Taylor Swift Initiated the Breakup With Joe Alwyn: ‘It Was More of Taylor’s Decision’

The question of who broke up with whom in the Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn split has been answered by the outlet that first broke the news of Swift and Alwyn’s six-year romance ending. A source told Entertainment Tonight that it was Swift who started the conversation in March, although both her and Alwyn agreed it was time to end things.

“Taylor and Joe are in totally different places in their lives right now,” the source explained. “It was more of Taylor’s decision to break up, but both of them realized that they weren’t completely right for one another. They had been together for such a long time and were spending so much time together, but their personalities were just too different. Joe is more introverted, shy, and quiet.”

Swift is putting her energy into work and has nothing but well wishes for Alwyn. “She’s very focused on touring and her career right now,” the source said. “Taylor has nothing but respect for Joe and really loved and enjoyed all the time and memories she shared with him. They had a deep connection and she really appreciated that. She hopes they can be friendly in the future.”

The comments from Entertainment Tonight‘s source echo what People‘s source, close to both Alwyn and Swift, said yesterday. “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 told People. “Ultimately [they] weren’t the right fit for one another.”

That source also cited personality differences as a primary reason for the split. “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.” That source added that “Taylor didn’t see them working out in the long run.”

Swift was photographed for the first time since the split last night, getting dinner in New York City with friends and appearing in good spirits. Fans noted her outlet, especially her bejeweled butterfly jeans, acted as a little Easter egg signaling an era of rebirth.

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.