With a roar of excitement, Taylor Swift began her historic run of London Eras Tour shows at the iconic Wembley Stadium on Friday night. The appearance in front of a massive (and very loud) crowd of nearly 90,000 fans was quite the kick-off. That doesn’t even include the presence of some even more surprising VIPs. Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, and his wife joined the “campaign” and took in the spectacle. Who knew that even politicians could have fun like this?
However, the biggest surprise came in the form of the speculations around Prince William and his children making an appearance. Even the British royal family, it seems, is not immune to the siren call of Taylor Swift’s music. What made the rumors especially interesting is that Prince William and Swift are not only friends (as much as one can be “friends” with a British prince) but have even made onstage appearances together in the past, notably at a charity event in 2013. Swift’s boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, also hopped over from Cannes to provide some extra support and make their month-long separation more bearable.
In a crowd filled with excitement, fans of Taylor Swift showcased their love through the expressions of themselves that, undoubtedly, were majorly inspired by her. You could not go two steps without encountering some form of homemade, blindingly Bedazzled piece of fan art. Or, you would end up standing next to a fan dressed in an interpretation of an outfit made famous by a certain Swift “era.”
The musician was truly stirred up by the enthusiastic audience in London. She expressed her excitement, saying, “Oh my god, London, look at what you’ve done—creating the perfect Friday night in the most thrilling city in the world.” Of course, Swift might have been just a bit more enthused after picking up the Global Icon Award earlier in the evening. For her “secret songs,” Swift performed “The Black Dog” and “Death by a Thousand Cuts.” The former has been rumored to reference a brief relationship with Matty Healy of The 1975.
The entire city was in the grip of Swiftania. Even the military band at Buckingham Palace performed “Shake It Off.” Apparently, the guards have great taste in pop music. Fans came from all over the world to see the show. Some even camped out for days to prove their undying love for Taylor. The lines to buy concert merchandise went on for miles, with fans eagerly waiting to drop their life savings on t-shirts and tote bags. You can’t put a price on love, right?
The effect that Swift had on London was crystal clear. The capital had become the “Home of Taylor,” and it seemed as though you couldn’t go a few tobacco-crimson-striped steps without seeing a piece of artwork associated with her. They commissioned these works, by the way, not in the name of anything else, but especially in the name of Taylor. And so just for good measure: Why don’t you rename it, like Buckingham, or Stonehenge, or some such, and go all the way with it by calling it “Swiftdon”?
As the evening ended, the crowd began to leave Wembley Stadium. Their voices were strained from singing, and their wallets were likely a little lighter too from all the merchandise they bought. But what remained with them were memories that they surely deemed priceless. All London still talked about the big show, and those who had a hard time remembering all the dates of the many hit singles performed that night of the tour could simply look them up on the Taylor Swift app. I’m sure that more than a few people did just that.
As the world tour of the “Reputation” era continues, one thing is certain: Taylor Swift is not simply a vocalist. She is a person of strong influence in society. And just like everywhere else, London is totally ready for whatever is coming next.