Taylor Swift's Connection to London Unveiled: From British Flings to Odes in Songs

Taylor Swift’s History With London Explained: From Her British Boyfriends to Songs About the U.K.

Taylor Swift. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for MTV

In 2008, Taylor Swift made her first appearance in London. Now, over ten years later, she is bidding farewell to the city on her album "The Tortured Poets Department" released in 2024.

Swift made headlines in February 2024 with the announcement of the TTPD album tracklist, which includes the song "So Long, London." This song is speculated to be inspired by her breakup with English actor Joe Alwyn.

Taylor Swift has a special connection to London. She first performed there in 2008, even before her romance with Joe Alwyn. In a vlog from November 2008, she mentioned the frequent rain in London and how people often use the words "brilliant" and "lovely" – which she found both brilliant and lovely.

The musician also dressed up as a beefeater, the guards outside Buckingham Palace, for tea and an interview in the clip. Swift has dated British celebrities, written songs about the city, and purchased a home in London.

Scroll down for a breakdown of Swift’s history with London:

Taylor's First London Performance

Taylor Swift made her debut performance in London back in October 2008 at King’s College’s student union during her Fearless Tour. Fast forward to sixteen years later, Swift will be gracing the stages of both Anfield Liverpool and Wembley in London as part of her international Eras Tour, with a total of 11 shows lined up.

Hot on Harry Styles

Taylor Swift’s History With London Explained: From Her British Boyfriends to Songs About the U.K.

Swift and England native Harry Styles sparked romance speculation in December 2012 after they were spotted getting cozy in New York's Central Park. It was confirmed in January 2013 that the duo had split while on a tropical vacation.

Calvin Harris Connection

After the breakup, Taylor Swift came out with her album, 1989, which seemed to reflect her past relationship with the ex-One Direction member. Some songs like "Out of the Woods" and "Style" are thought to be inspired by Harry Styles. Fans also suspect that the song "Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)" from Swift’s vault is referencing their public romance.

Taylor Swift’s History With London Explained: From Her British Boyfriends to Songs About the U.K.

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During the Tom Hiddleston Timeframe

Tom Hiddleston, an English actor, had a brief romance with Taylor Swift. They were first linked in June 2016, shortly after Swift's split from Calvin Harris. The relationship garnered a lot of attention and speculation from the media and fans alike. The couple was often seen together, including a highly publicized trip to Rome. However, their romance ended after just a few months in September 2016.

Taylor Swift’s History With London Explained: From Her British Boyfriends to Songs About the U.K.

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Swift began dating Tom Hiddleston in the summer of 2016 after meeting at the Met Gala in May. They were spotted kissing on the beach near Swift's Rhode Island home in June of the same year.

Hiddleston, originally from Westminster, London, caused a stir when he wore an "I Heart T.S." tank top on the 4th of July that year. Their whirlwind romance came to an end in September 2016, as confirmed by Us.

Brief Matt Healy Romance

Taylor Swift’s History With London Explained: From Her British Boyfriends to Songs About the U.K.

Rumors began circulating in November 2014 that Taylor Swift was romantically involved with The 1975 singer Matt Healy. This gossip started after Swift was seen attending several of his concerts. Adding fuel to the fire, Healy was spotted wearing a 1989 T-shirt while performing on stage. However, Swift quickly shut down these rumors in December 2014, clarifying that they were just friends.

Are you excited for any specific track from ‘The Tortured Poets Department’?

One month after Swift’s breakup with Alwyn was revealed in April 2023, rumors started swirling about her connection with Healy, a native of Hendon in northwest London. Healy was seen having dinner with Swift in New York City in May 2023 and even attended one of her Eras Tour shows in Philadelphia. However, it was confirmed in June 2023 by Us that the two had decided to go their separate ways.

Her ‘London Boy’ Joe Alwyn

Taylor Swift’s History With London Explained: From Her British Boyfriends to Songs About the U.K.

Taylor Swift was first rumored to be dating Alwyn, who hails from Kent’s Royal Tunbridge Wells, in May 2017. Some fans believe they actually started dating in September 2016, when they met at the Met Gala earlier that year.

Swift and Alwyn were first seen showing affection towards each other during London’s 2017 Jingle Bell Ball event, as witnessed by onlookers. Over a year later, they attended the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards afterparty together in February 2019. During the same year, Swift released her album Lover, which included songs like “London Boy” that reflected their relationship.

Throughout their time together, Swift collaborated with Alwyn, who used the pen name William Bowery, to write several songs. These songs were featured on albums like Folklore and Evermore, released in 2020. However, in April 2023, it was confirmed by Us magazine that Swift and Alwyn had ended their six-year relationship.

Taylor Swift's Tribute to London

Taylor Swift has not only been connected to some of London's top celebrities but has also shown her love for the city in her music. In her album Red from 2012, she made a reference to the capital of England, which she later revisited and rerecorded as Red (Taylor's Version).

In "Come Back ... Be Here," she sang about missing someone in London. Later in the song, she expressed her sadness because the person she missed was not there.

It wasn't until her album Lover in 2019 that she mentioned London again. In the song "London Boy," she talked about her favorite places to go with her boyfriend Alwyn.

She admitted, "I have a thing for London boys and love strolling through Camden Market in the afternoon. Yes, I'm into London boys, boy, I have a crush on you."

In that year, Swift dropped "Beautiful Ghosts" for the Cats soundtrack, with references to London. The lyrics say, "I'm too young to explore London on my own and feeling haunted. I'll never explore London alone and haunted."

In 2020, Taylor Swift released a bonus track named “The Lakes” from her album Folklore. Many believe this song is a heartfelt message to her partner, Joe Alwyn. The lyrics “Take me to the lakes, where all the poets went to die,” are thought to be inspired by the charming Lake District in the U.K.

In the song, Swift also mentions the Windermere peaks, describing them as a perfect spot to let out emotions. Windermere, known for being the largest lake in England in terms of length, area, and volume, holds a special place in the singer's heart.

The Ed Sheeran Effect

Taylor Swift's vault track "Message in a Bottle," also known as "Message in a Bottle (Taylor's Version)," was released in 2021 and makes a reference to the city of London. In the song, she sings, "How is it in London? Where were you while I'm wondering if I'll ever see you again?"

Taylor Swift’s History With London Explained: From Her British Boyfriends to Songs About the U.K.

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Swift has a strong connection with English singers, particularly her close friend Ed Sheeran. They first teamed up in 2012 and have since worked on songs like “Everything Has Changed,” “End Game,” and “The Joker and The Queen” released in 2022.

She has also joined forces with English musician Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol for “The Last Time” in 2013 and with Zayn Malik for “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” in 2017.

Coming ‘Clean’

In June 2015, Swift told Elle that 1989’s “Clean” was written when she was “walking out of Liberty of London,” which is a store in the city.

Taylor Swift Opens Up About Song Inspiration

Taylor Swift recently revealed that a past relationship inspired one of her songs. She shared that she had been in the same city as her ex for two weeks without even thinking about it. When the realization hit her, all she could think was, "Oh, I hope he's doing well," and nothing more.

Taylor Swift's Influence from The Beatles' Paul McCartney

Taylor Swift has cited The Beatles' legendary member, Paul McCartney, as one of her greatest influences.

Swift and singer Paul McCartney have an unexpected friendship. In November 2020, McCartney interviewed Swift for Rolling Stone.

Two years later, Swift revealed that she drew inspiration from McCartney and his late wife Linda's love story. This inspiration led to her song "Sweet Nothing" on the album Midnights. In October 2022, Swift showed her admiration for the McCartneys by "liking" an Instagram post about their relationship, which had similarities to the lyrics in her song.

London-based BFFs

Taylor Swift’s History With London Explained: From Her British Boyfriends to Songs About the U.K.

Swift not only has a close friendship with Sheeran but also has a tight-knit group of British friends in her inner circle. Since 2013, she has been close to model Cara Delevingne, followed by actress and singer Suki Waterhouse in 2016, and actress Sophie Turner in 2019.

Taylor's London Estate

Taylor Swift bought a North London estate for about $13 million in December 2023, as reported by The Sun. The new property will include a swimming pool and greenery, and will become Swift's main home in Europe once it is completed. Before this, Swift had been renting a six-bedroom house in Primrose Hill, according to Page Six.

Taylor's Favorite Spots in London

Taylor Swift has spent time in various neighborhoods in London, as mentioned in her song "London Boy." These include Brixton, Highgate (where she met all of her partner's friends), Shoreditch, Hackney, and Soho.

She has also visited Camden Market in the afternoon, Bond Street, and the West End, where London's Broadway shows are performed. In her lyrics, Swift mentioned her newfound love for high tea and stories from Uni, a short term for University.

Editor's P/S:

Taylor Swift's connection to London has been a constant throughout her career. From her early performances to her recent album, the city has played a significant role in her music and personal life. Swift's songs often reference her experiences in London, capturing the city's atmosphere and her own emotional journey. Her latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," features the track "So Long, London," which is speculated to be inspired by her breakup with English actor Joe Alwyn.

Swift's relationship with Alwyn has been a major part of her life in London. The couple met at the Met Gala in 2016 and have been together ever since. Alwyn, who is from Kent, has appeared in several of Swift's music videos and is credited as a co-writer on some of her songs. Swift has also purchased a home in North London, which will become her main residence in Europe.