Ed Sheeran, Niall Horan Prove Friendship Is Strong Despite Past Ellie Goulding Rumors

Ed Sheeran and Niall Horan have shown that their friendship remains stronger than ever, nearly a decade after rumors of a love triangle involving Ellie Goulding sparked media frenzy.

The two musicians, who were once rumored to be caught up in a complicated love triangle, recently proved that all past tensions are behind them.

On April 29, Ed Sheeran posted a series of never-before-seen photos on his Instagram account @teddysoldphone, including a nostalgic 2014 selfie with Niall in Las Vegas.

Ed captioned the photo, "me and nialler in vegas." Niall, showing his appreciation, reshared the image on his own Instagram story with a heartfelt, "Love ya."

The photos were shared from an old phone Ed had rediscovered, which contained pictures dating back to his earlier years, ENews said.

Among them was a photo of Ellie Goulding, Ed, and Bruno Mars taken backstage during Mars' "Moonshine Jungle Tour" in 2013.

This sparked fresh conversation, especially considering the timing coincided with the release of Ed's hit song "Don't," which many speculated was inspired by a rumored affair between Ellie and Niall.

Ed Sheeran Clears the Air About "Don't" and the Alleged Love Triangle

The rumors about the alleged affair started in 2014 when Ed's song "Don't" was released. In it, he sings about an ex who betrayed him by having an affair with a friend.

At the time, many fans speculated the song was about Ellie and Niall. However, Ed has consistently avoided confirming the song's inspiration.

In an interview from 2015, he clarified, "I never actually confirmed it" and emphasized that writing the song helped him process his feelings.

Ellie, for her part, has long denied dating Ed during this period. In 2015, she clarified in an interview with Elle that she and Ed were never in a relationship, despite their public appearances together, including holding hands at the MTV VMAs in 2013.

She has also expressed frustration over how female artists are often defined by their relationships, something she shared with her friend Taylor Swift.

According to DailyMail, Ellie also addressed the rumors in a TikTok video, where she laughed off the accusations, saying, "Can't believe you cheated on Ed with Niall but slay."

In a candid 2023 interview, Ellie reflected on the emotional toll the rumors took on her, stating, "It was nothing and it was private—and it caused me such a huge amount of grief."

Despite the past drama, all parties seem to have moved on to happier chapters in their lives.

Ellie is now married to Caspar Jopling and a mother to son Arthur, while Ed is happily married to Cherry Seaborn, with whom he shares two children.

What's clear now is that the friendship between Ed and Niall has only grown stronger. In 2023, Ed even joined Niall on stage during his tour, proving that any past tensions are well behind them.

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Ed Sheeran, Niall Horan