I’m not someone who usually pays attention to celebrities’ love lives. But that doesn’t mean that I’m chronically offline. Taylor Swift’s influence was strong enough that news of her marriage managed to reach me in my corner of the internet.

Amanda Hess, a writer at the New York Times, described Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding as an “American royal wedding,” and that idea really stuck with me. It’s true that Indeed, Swift is somewhat of a pop star princess.

People across entirely different audiences—music fans, sports fans, or even people like me who don’t usually pay attention to celebrities—heard about the wedding held at Madison Square Garden, which is where Swift first performed, singing “Lucky You” at thirteen years old. 

With a one thousand guests and an intense media following, focused on them, Swift’s wedding felt very up-close and personal, like she was sharing her big day with all of us.

But the world “royalty” has a very specific connotation: it implies that there are inherited positions and political status involved. Swift’s wedding was the opposite. Her power over the media and fans comes from her talent and genuine care, as indicated when she said that, “…fans are my favorite things in the world.”

Sure, Swift’s popularity makes her seem like royalty, but no matter what happens, she’ll still be the same person that first performed at Madison Square Garden 23 years ago.

Reflection on: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/04/style/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-american-royal-wedding.html