Details emerge on Taylor Swift's secretive relationship with Joe Alwyn

For years, Taylor Swift was known as an over-sharer: The pop star's lyrics, interviews and paparazzi snaps endlessly focused on her high-profile relationships, from Harry Styles to John Mayer to Jake Gyllenhaal.

To quote Swift's 2012 hit: Everything has changed.

Swift, 29, and English actor Joe Alwyn began quietly dating sometime in 2016, but the public had no idea about their romance until May 2017. That was the first indication that Swift was approaching this relationship much differently than those of her past, and new reports confirm she's very pleased with her decision.

“She’s much happier without her personal life out in the open,” according to Us Weekly. “She credits Joe for that and realizes how much better off she is.”

English actor Alwyn was born in London, where he and Swift now spend much of their time. The two reportedly often head out to local pubs and are "very low-key and normal."

See photos of Joe Alwyn:

The two have yet to make any red carpet appearances together, but in December 2018, Swift was spotted at a "Mary, Queen of Scots" premiere and after-party. (Alwyn has a role in the buzzy film.) Only a few blurry iPhone cameras captured her appearance.

Alwyn, 27, first acknowledged the relationship in September 2018, but only to essentially stop the line of questioning: "I’m aware people want to know about that side of things,” he told British Vogue. “I think we have been successfully very private and that has now sunk in for people…but I really prefer to talk about work.”

After two full years together, 2019 will almost certainly bring the couple's "official" public debut -- and perhaps even an engagement. We'll be waiting...