Taylor Swift Went Out Of Her Way To Show Her Ex That London Is Her Town Now — 'A Beatle, The Royal Family & Travis Kelce Doing A Lil Skit'
Her eight sold-out Wembley Stadium shows have been historic in more ways than one.
Christian Bertrand, Brian Friedman / Shutterstock.com Taylor Swift’s iconic, billion-dollar, economy-altering Era’s Tour — now labeled the “royal event” of the summer — has been nothing short of historic, even prior to her most recent Wembley Stadium stops.
London, her ex-boyfriend’s hometown and the setting of some of her most popular tracks, was surely hyped up to be an incredible leg of the tour, but nobody could’ve imagined she’d reclaim the town in an entirely new way.
Not only did Swift deliver a sold-out show with dedicated fans and a packed VIP tent to cheer her on, including stars like Greta Gerwig, Tom Cruise, and former Beatle Paul McCartney, but the royal family was also in attendance.
Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour stop in London has been nothing short of ‘historic.’
Partly a reflection on past relationships, including one with her long-term English ex Joe Alwyn, Swift’s recent album tracks have reopened trauma she’s grappled with for her entire career, including ones inevitably tied to London. Songs like “So Long, London” act as a direct juxtaposition to older tracks like “London Boy” allegedly about Alwyn, reflecting on the city that both sparked love and left her heartbroken.
Fans were eagerly anticipating what surprise song mash-ups and special guests she’d invite.
Despite rumors of “London Boy and So Long London'' mash-ups, Swift didn’t revisit the heartbreak she’d experienced in London on these massive Era’s Tour stops but instead flipped the narrative completely — breaking Wembley Stadium’s record for the most sold-out shows, boasting a star-studded VIP tent, and even bringing out the most special guest during her concert.
She rebranded London as one of the most iconic Era’s Tour stops, a proud reclamation of her identity, career, and womanhood amidst the always-present breakup discourse.
Swift’s Era’s Tour stop has reclaimed London as her own in more historic ways than one.
After recent album tracks alluded to “nothing being left” for Swift in London, it’s clear she’s ready to ditch that narrative completely — proving to her fans (and possibly herself) that there’s still room for love in the city she once affectionately called home.
Even Paul McCartney, whose daughter Stella McCartney was candidly mentioned in Swift’s “London Boy” track, was seen dancing with fans in the audience during her set. Distracted by the infamous Beatle, fans never even noticed Kelce slipping out of the VIP tent and sneakily making his way backstage.
Not only has she reclaimed London with her monumental career milestone and successes, but she’s also made space for her new relationship.
During “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived,” when Swift dropped to the floor, heartbroken, Kelce appeared and walked towards her, picking her up, carrying her to a heart-shaped couch, and “reviving” her broken heart while the arena erupted in cheers. Complete with happily goofy smiles, signature dance moves, and a side-by-side intro to “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart,” the couple’s “hard launch” was historically public — in a sold-out 90,000 seat show.
Actors and celebrities like Tom Cruise were even in attendance for Swift’s historic show, despite the negative public discourse he’s faced following his daughter Suri’s surname change.
With a Beatles appearance, an on-stage skit with Travis Kelce, and viral Instagram photos with the royal family — London’s become Swift’s town.
Swift’s Friday night Instagram post proved that her on-stage performance with Kelce and packed VIP tent weren’t the only headline-worthy news to come out of the historic weekend. A self-proclaimed “Swiftie,” the Prince of Wales, also made an appearance with family at Swift’s London show.
“London shows are off to a splendid start,” Swift wrote in her own post, alongside a beaming Prince William, his children — Prince George and Princess Charlotte — and, of course, Kelce.
After years of “hiding” undercover in her relationship with Alwyn, allegedly to appease his fears of her fanbase, Swift's new, proudly open relationship with Kelce is refreshingly healing. From NFL stadiums to Kelce’s on-stage London performance, it’s clear the couple is not shy about proclaiming their love for each other.
“She likes that Travis is so proud of her,” an insider told ET News in March, “and that he isn’t afraid to show his love for her publicly. She’s in a great place … feeling free to live her life more openly.”
After years of living undercover and facing harsh critics, Swift’s new era of ‘living freely’ is refreshingly heartwarming for fans.
Swift’s new era of candid storytelling, honesty, and public love is refreshing for fans to experience after decades of misguided critiques and failed relationships.
Not only has Swift come into her own identity as an artist throughout the Era’s Tour stretch, she’s freely reclaimed her public voice as her own — away from greedy management, insecure partners, and “think pieces” about her life.
Featureflash Photo Agency, chainarong06 / Shutterstock.com
She released an album that was poetically her own, stuck to a decade-long master plan of storytelling, and made history in an infamous city. Was it to prove a point? Maybe. Is this still a feat she, her team, and her fans accomplished entirely on their own? Definitely.
While her love story with Kelce was partly influential, Swift’s reclamation of London was also purely for herself. Although she’d experienced heartbreak in the town, it was still a place she once idolized, loved, and called home.
Her historic weekend, with another on the horizon, proved to everyone that it’s possible to grow, heal, and flourish even in a place like London that’d been previously defined by her heartbreak.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.