Isabelle Duff: What the reaction to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s OTT engagement says about romance in 2025

Mass liking of pop singer’s Instagram post illustrates just how much we still value marriage

<path fill="#D7D7D7" d="M204.375 129.832c-13.026 0-22.646 2.211-33.999 2.211-8.007 0-18.523-1.315-25.454-4.96l-2.45 6.035c7.708 3.944 18.165 5.497 27.904 5.497 11.472 0 21.75-2.629 33.999-2.629 13.563 0 23.362 6.214 23.362 17.985 0 4.781-1.792 9.083-4.66 13.624l-39.854 63.097c4.72 2.808 9.321 5.019 14.459 7.111l31.609-66.743c2.808-5.975 4.78-11.532 4.78-17.387 0-14.639-12.07-23.781-29.637-23.781l-.059-.06z"/><path fill="#D7D7D7" d="M177.845 227.107l40.093-62.261c2.39-3.704 3.645-6.811 3.645-10.516 0-6.812-4.601-12.667-17.208-12.667-12.608 0-21.69 2.868-33.999 2.868-9.859 0-20.674-1.375-29.457-5.557v15.177c2.808 1.075 5.855 1.912 9.082 2.569-4.003 27.665 5.557 53.597 27.844 70.327v.06zm-22.287-69.491c2.031.239 4.063.359 6.094.419-2.987 19.12 1.733 40.69 18.583 55.867l-3.286 5.139c-17.567-15.476-24.916-38.301-21.391-61.425zm43.738 26.351l-3.585 5.616-10.098-34.775c1.613-.418 3.226-.777 4.84-1.195l8.843 30.413v-.059zm-3.585-31.728c1.792-.478 3.406-.837 4.84-1.195l6.214 21.211-3.585 5.617-7.469-25.633zm-3.944 43.499l-3.525 5.557-12.966-44.276c1.673-.299 3.286-.598 4.959-.956l11.532 39.675zm-7.469 11.711l-1.016 1.613c-14.937-14.041-18.881-33.52-15.953-51.147.836 0 1.673-.119 2.45-.239l14.459 49.713.06.06zm31.071-51.685c0 2.151-.956 4.422-2.151 6.393l-2.51 4.004-4.66-16.014c.896-.059 1.732-.119 2.569-.119 3.824 0 6.812 1.972 6.812 5.796l-.06-.06zM177.486 232.425c-4.361 0-7.946 3.525-7.946 7.708 0 4.182 3.585 8.066 7.946 7.768 4.183 0 7.529-3.406 7.529-7.768s-3.406-7.708-7.529-7.708z"/> <path fill="#D7D7D7" d="M204.375 129.832c-13.026 0-22.646 2.211-33.999 2.211-8.007 0-18.523-1.315-25.454-4.96l-2.45 6.035c7.708 3.944 18.165 5.497 27.904 5.497 11.472 0 21.75-2.629 33.999-2.629 13.563 0 23.362 6.214 23.362 17.985 0 4.781-1.792 9.083-4.66 13.624l-39.854 63.097c4.72 2.808 9.321 5.019 14.459 7.111l31.609-66.743c2.808-5.975 4.78-11.532 4.78-17.387 0-14.639-12.07-23.781-29.637-23.781l-.059-.06z"/><path fill="#D7D7D7" d="M177.845 227.107l40.093-62.261c2.39-3.704 3.645-6.811 3.645-10.516 0-6.812-4.601-12.667-17.208-12.667-12.608 0-21.69 2.868-33.999 2.868-9.859 0-20.674-1.375-29.457-5.557v15.177c2.808 1.075 5.855 1.912 9.082 2.569-4.003 27.665 5.557 53.597 27.844 70.327v.06zm-22.287-69.491c2.031.239 4.063.359 6.094.419-2.987 19.12 1.733 40.69 18.583 55.867l-3.286 5.139c-17.567-15.476-24.916-38.301-21.391-61.425zm43.738 26.351l-3.585 5.616-10.098-34.775c1.613-.418 3.226-.777 4.84-1.195l8.843 30.413v-.059zm-3.585-31.728c1.792-.478 3.406-.837 4.84-1.195l6.214 21.211-3.585 5.617-7.469-25.633zm-3.944 43.499l-3.525 5.557-12.966-44.276c1.673-.299 3.286-.598 4.959-.956l11.532 39.675zm-7.469 11.711l-1.016 1.613c-14.937-14.041-18.881-33.52-15.953-51.147.836 0 1.673-.119 2.45-.239l14.459 49.713.06.06zm31.071-51.685c0 2.151-.956 4.422-2.151 6.393l-2.51 4.004-4.66-16.014c.896-.059 1.732-.119 2.569-.119 3.824 0 6.812 1.972 6.812 5.796l-.06-.06zM177.486 232.425c-4.361 0-7.946 3.525-7.946 7.708 0 4.182 3.585 8.066 7.946 7.768 4.183 0 7.529-3.406 7.529-7.768s-3.406-7.708-7.529-7.708z"/> <img src="https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/19u919HZ__i4l5rEvnjFuk8F9Pg=/60x0:735x450/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/cc22ec8d-2318-4aee-ae70-bcd5b62e61cc/400a7882-2c13-4fac-96d9-0d4dfe6bb7a4/video/video.jpg" loading="eager" width="100%" data-testid="article-image" srcset="https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/LFszWk4mEptJJaue0ficBYygZj8=/60x0:735x450/120x80/prod-mh-ireland/cc22ec8d-2318-4aee-ae70-bcd5b62e61cc/400a7882-2c13-4fac-96d9-0d4dfe6bb7a4/video/video.jpg 120w,https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/Hw77yp7-OH-PdrvNnotkb2cuE60=/60x0:735x450/160x107/prod-mh-ireland/cc22ec8d-2318-4aee-ae70-bcd5b62e61cc/400a7882-2c13-4fac-96d9-0d4dfe6bb7a4/video/video.jpg 160w,https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/Yi7JfG6PwPscEkMFrmjqr8_KnwM=/60x0:735x450/320x213/prod-mh-ireland/cc22ec8d-2318-4aee-ae70-bcd5b62e61cc/400a7882-2c13-4fac-96d9-0d4dfe6bb7a4/video/video.jpg 320w,https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/eq7tYjKgH_Wx5aFLIWfqodN6pjg=/60x0:735x450/640x427/prod-mh-ireland/cc22ec8d-2318-4aee-ae70-bcd5b62e61cc/400a7882-2c13-4fac-96d9-0d4dfe6bb7a4/video/video.jpg 640w,https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/19u919HZ__i4l5rEvnjFuk8F9Pg=/60x0:735x450/960x640/prod-mh-ireland/cc22ec8d-2318-4aee-ae70-bcd5b62e61cc/400a7882-2c13-4fac-96d9-0d4dfe6bb7a4/video/video.jpg 960w,https://focus.independent.ie/thumbor/V44toEnaBkZ_rBLYeBMvCgqyjgI=/60x0:735x450/1280x853/prod-mh-ireland/cc22ec8d-2318-4aee-ae70-bcd5b62e61cc/400a7882-2c13-4fac-96d9-0d4dfe6bb7a4/video/video.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px"/> It’s a Love Story: Taylor Swift announces engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce

When the news broke that Taylor Swift – the most famous woman in the world – got engaged, my first thought was “finally”. A strange reaction given she has been dating Travis Kelce, star of NFL team the Kansas City Chiefs, for barely two years.