Inside Taylor Swift's Dumping of Blake Lively as Her BFF: Why the Singer had 'No Choice' to End Friendship and Godmother Role to Actress' Kids
Taylor Swift appears to be done with Blake Lively for good.
July 31 2026, Published 2:45 p.m. ET
Taylor Swift's decision to cut ties with ex-BFF Blake Lively was "one of the toughest decisions she's ever had to make," according to new claims.
RadarOnline.com can reveal insiders close to the singer, 36, claim she had "no choice" but to trigger the move, despite the "hurt" it caused, as she knew there was no way back for their friendship after she was dragged into Lively's legal case against Justin Baldoni.
Taylor Swift Steps Down From Godmother Duties, Insiders Claim
Swift will no longer act as a godmother to Lively's kids.
An insider claimed to The Daily Mail: "It was one of the toughest decisions she's ever had to make. It was very emotional because she loves the girls. It hurt her heart, but she had no choice given the circumstances."
The source claims the Love Story singer made the decision "a few months ago" after discussions with her new husband Travis Kelce, 36, which affirmed it "was the right thing to do" – even if it meant ending her godmother status to the movie star's kids.
The source added: "There was never an agreement in writing about her being the girls' godmother. It was a verbal one between Taylor and Blake."
'She Wanted To Make A Clean And Total Break'
Swift has agonized over the decision for some time, according to sources.
The insider continued: "It hurt her heart, but she had no choice given the circumstances; she wanted to make a clean and total break."
Meanwhile, Lively, 38, has apparently lost many of her VIP perks since being ousted from Swift’s inner circle.
The actress is still invited to big events, like last week’s World Cup final in New Jersey, but she's not receiving the type of treatment that came with being part of Swift's Girl Squad.
Writing on his Naughty but Nice Substack, insiders tell Rob Shuter: "Blake is absolutely still getting invited. But without Taylor, she's no longer automatically getting the best seats, the most exclusive lounges, or the kind of VIP treatment that came with being part of Taylor’s inner circle."
Being ousted from Swift's Girl Squad means Lively doesn't get same level of perks.
Lively's appearance at the World Cup final on July 19 was the first public outing since she was snubbed from Swift's star-studded wedding to Kelce.
She posted a snap of herself and three girl pals – Kendall and Libby Glazer, founders of Stoney Clover Lane, plus longtime friend Emma Gray – attending the match, but observers couldn’t help notice her seats were positioned well away from the headline-making celebrity section.
A separate source said: "Taylor's world operates on another level.
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Lively and Swift were once inseperable.
"Being one of her closest friends meant front-row seats, invitation-only parties, and access to the most influential people in music, sports, fashion, and Hollywood."
"Those opportunities don’t automatically follow you once you’re outside that circle," the insider added.
Sources are quick to point out that Lively remains a successful actress with an impressive career and plenty of powerful connections. Still, they say the shift hasn’t gone unnoticed.
An insider claimed: "She’s still a celebrity and she’ll always get invited. But there's a difference between being a VIP and being Taylor Swift’s VIP. Hollywood notices those little details, and so does everyone watching."
