Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn Reportedly Couldn't Overcome 'Rough Patches' In Relationship

Singer Taylor Swift and actor Joe Alwyn shocked fans on Saturday night when news broke that the "Love Story" singer and the "Conversations with Friends" actor had ended their six-year relationship.

Although the news came out only a few days ago, sources have revealed that the two actually broke up a few weeks ago, likely before the Grammy winner embarked on her record-breaking Eras Tour.

Although the news came as a shock to many fans, some who suspected the pair had secretly gotten married, sources say that the split was not all that unexpected to those who knew the couple.

Although it seems there was no drama when the relationship ended, it is beginning to look like things have been on the rocks for a while. A source told PEOPLE that the split was due to "differences in their personalities," adding, that the two "weren't the right fit for one another."

"They've had rough patches before and always worked things out, so friends thought they would take some time apart but eventually come back together," the source said, noting that the two fell into a "safe bubble" around the time she released her 2017 studio album Reputation.

"They had plenty in common and fell in love in a safe bubble while she was retreating from the world during Reputation," the insider claimed. "Then the pandemic hit, and they were locked down together and able to continue growing their relationship in this insulated way. But he didn't really 'know' her yet outside of that bubble."

Although fans have speculated that the two met at the 2016 Met Gala, the two were not publicly linked until May 2017. The two isolated together during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown and even worked on songs together; Alwyn is credited as William Bowery. Their collaborations include six songs on Folklore, three songs on Evermore, and "Sweet Nothing" on her latest album, "Midnights."

Reports surfaced earlier this year that the two were engaged, with one insider alleging that the singer even had a "beautiful ring" that she did not wear out in public. Despite dodging speculation about their relationship, one source told the magazine that the pressure of the public eye was too much for the "Stars At Noon" actor.

"Joe has struggled with Taylor's level of fame and the attention from the public," a source alleged. "The differences in their personalities have also become harder to ignore after years together. They've grown apart."

That being said, multiple sources did tell PEOPLE that the two had been "talking about marriage as recently as a few months ago." Unfortunately, it did not come to pass, and it seems that the "Anti-Hero" singer might have been the one to end the relationship.

"Taylor didn't see them working out in the long run," the insider added, emphasizing that the "recent" split was "not dramatic" and that the two "are friendly" with one another. "There is a lot of respect still between them," the source divulged.

"She doesn't have anything bad to say about Joe," the insider went on to say. "They just grew apart. Taylor is staying very focused on her tour right now."

Right now, Swift is focused on The Eras Tour. Her next shows are on April 13, 14, and 15 in Tampa, Florida. However, fans hoping to hear "Invisible String" performed live are in for some bad news, as she recently replaced the track with "The 1."

The “Lavender Haze” singer made the change about a week during the March 31 stop of her tour at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Many fans noticed the change on Twitter, including one person who tweeted, “hold on cause taylor switched from invisible string (a song about hopeful love) to the 1 (a song about past love) on the set list…”

Although "The 1" is a bit of a sad song, Swift once said that the former couple both loved sad songs. In a December 2020 interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, she admitted, "Joe and I really love sad songs. We've always bonded over music."

"We write the saddest songs. We just really love sad songs," she added. "What can I say?"