Taylor Swift’s Godmother Role to Blake Lively’s Kids ‘Naturally Faded’ Amid Friendship Fallout

Since Taylor Swift‘s friendship with Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds has diminished, so has her relationship with their children — daughters James, 11, Inez, 9, Betty, 6, and son Olin, 3 — according to the Thursday, July 9 edition of Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice Substack.

The pop star, 36, had a close bond with the family, even titling a track on her 2020 album Folklore “Betty,” in which she sang about fictional characters named James and Inez. Additionally, James’ voice was featured on “Gorgeous” from Swift’s 2017 Reputation album.

“When Taylor’s friendship with Blake and Ryan ended, her role as an active godmother naturally faded too,” one source told Shuter. “There wasn’t a falling out with the children. She simply isn’t part of their everyday lives anymore.”

A second insider said that Gossip Girl alum, 38, and the Deadpool & Wolverine star, 49, not being invited to the 14-time Grammy Award winner’s wedding on Friday, July 3, at Madison Square Garden in NYC “told the whole story.”

“Years ago they would have been front and center. Today, they’re no longer part of Taylor’s inner circle,” the insider added. “Taylor still has love for those kids. But relationships with children often depend on relationships with their parents. When the friendship ended, the connection naturally faded. It’s sad, but that’s the reality.”

On the day Swift tied the knot with Travis Kelce, a source told Page Six that Lively didn’t get an invite because “Taylor’s in a different place now and she just wants to be around people she trusts and who bring her peace.”

“It’s a shame because she and Blake really were close, but she doesn’t think it’s something that’s going to be fixed,” the source continued. “As far as [Taylor’s] concerned, their friendship is done.”

As for how the mom of four feels, an insider told Star on Tuesday, July 7, Lively “did her best to hold her head high through this and act as though it was just any other weekend, but it’s been absolutely devastating for her because it’s forced her to accept that this chapter of her life really is over.”

The friendship between the two A-listers appeared to break down amid Lively’s legal battle with her It Ends with Us costar and director, Justin Baldoni, which began in December 2024. In January 2026, the A Simple Favor actress and the “Cruel Summer” hitmaker’s private text messages were exposed in court documents obtained by Star.