Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announce engagement after two-year romance

LOS ANGELES – Pop superstar Taylor Swift and National Football League (NFL) player Travis Kelce are engaged to be married, the American couple announced on social media on Aug 26.

In a joint Instagram post, the pair wrote, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married”, along with photos of the Kansas City Chiefs player on bended knee proposing to the singer-songwriter.

The 35-year-olds – she wore a black and white striped silk-blend dress, while he sported a cable-knit cotton polo collar sweater in navy, both from Polo Ralph Lauren – were seen in a garden of pink and white flowers. A snippet of Swift’s song So High School (2024), which was inspired by Kelce, played in the background of the post. No wedding date was announced.

Kelce’s father Ed Kelce discussed the couple in a televised interview on Aug 26 and said the engagement happened a few weeks ago at a garden in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. He said he had asked his son when they would announce it publicly, and said the younger Kelce replied “whenever Taylor says so”.

The happy news was welcomed on social media, with more than 1.8 million likes on the Instagram post in less than 20 minutes.

Swift has won 14 Grammys, including an unparalleled four Album of the Year trophies. Kelce is a tight end who has helped the Chiefs win three Super Bowls.

The two started dating in 2023 after she performed at Arrowhead Stadium, home of Kelce’s Chiefs, as part of her record-setting The Eras Tour. He explained on his New Heights podcast at the time that he was disappointed not to have a chance to meet her and give her his phone number at the concert.

Swift said she was charmed by the public declaration of interest. The gesture made her feel like she was “in an ’80s John Hughes movie, and he was just like, standing outside of my window with a boombox and being like, ‘I want to date you’,” she said on a recent episode of New Heights.

Couple went public at Chiefs game

She said she thought: “If this guy isn’t crazy, which is a big if, this is sort of what I’ve been writing songs about wanting to happen to me since I was a teenager.”

Swift told Time magazine in 2023 that the pair began “hanging out” after she heard his comments. Their relationship became public when she appeared at a Chiefs game to cheer Kelce on in September 2023.

“We actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other,” Swift told Time. “By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple.”

She appeared at several Chiefs games and sparked some criticism from NFL fans that TV networks showed her on camera too often and drew attention away from the game.

Kelce attended several stops on the Eras Tour, which grossed more than US$2 billion (S$2.5 billion).

In August, Swift announced her 12th and latest album, The Life Of A Showgirl, on New Heights, which Kelce co-hosts with his brother, Jason Kelce.

The singer has often written songs about relationship troubles, but revealed her upcoming work, set for release on Oct 3, will be joyful because “life is more upbeat”.

Congratulations on the engagement flowed from fans, sports leagues and friends of the couple.

Brittany Mahomes, wife of Kelce’s teammate Patrick Mahomes, wrote on social media: “Two of the most genuine people meet and fall in love. Just so happy for these two.”

Some companies acknowledged the milestone. Google added an on-screen shower of confetti when people searched for Swift by name. Buffalo Wild Wings, which has used Jason Kelce as a paid spokesman, offered to cater the wedding.

US President Donald Trump, who tweeted “I hate Taylor Swift” in September 2024, told reporters at a televised Cabinet meeting at the White House, “I wish them a lot of luck”, when asked about the engagement.

“I think he’s a great player, I think he’s a great guy, and I think that she’s a terrific person,” Mr Trump said on Aug 26. REUTERS