It’s over. Cher and boyfriend Alexander “AE” Edwards have called it quits — despite speculation the pair were engaged.
“AE and Cher were never engaged and that ring he got her was just a gift,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly. “However, they had gotten very close and his son would even go over to Cher’s house in Malibu to play. Their relationship was real and they split a few weeks ago. There’s no bad blood between them and they’re on good terms.”
The Oscar winner, 76, and the music executive, 37, initially sparked engagement rumors in December 2022 after the pop icon showed off her Christmas gift from Edwards: a massive ring featuring a pear-shaped diamond with a band covered in smaller gems.
“THERE R NO WORDS, ALEXANDER, A.E,” the Moonstruck actress tweeted alongside a photo of the sparkler, adding that she wished she could show the new jewels to her mom, Georgia Holt, who died at age 96 on December 10.
“Woke up a min ago, & 1st thing … B4 I opened my eyes, I thought … ‘I need 2 run to moms & show her my ring,’” the “Believe” songstress tweeted on Christmas. “She loves Diamonds. Before I realized it … I had a little tear, but I’m sure this is natural. Bet moms ears were burning last nite. We were telling stories about her, WHAT A WOMAN.”
The Grammy winner and Edwards were first linked in early November after they were spotted holding hands at the West Hollywood hotspot Craig’s. Days later, an insider exclusively told Us that Cher wasn’t bothered by critics questioning the couple’s 40-year age difference.
“Cher knows full well that there’s a lot of skepticism about this romance but she couldn’t care less,” the source explained at the time. “She’s reveling in the attention and saying that she and AE have something very special going on that’s made her feel more alive and sexier than ever.”
The insider noted that the Burlesque star has “always been drawn to younger guys,” but her romance with Edwards felt unique. “The difference here is that this one feels special, which is why she felt confident to go public as a couple,” the source added.
Cher, for her part, clapped back via Twitter when one social media user implied she should question the “intentions” of a younger man. “Haven’t You Got Anything Else 2 Do⁉️,” the “If I Could Turn Back Time” artist tweeted. “Let Me Explain … I DONT GIVE A [F–K] WHAT ANYONE THINKS.”
The Silkwood actress was previously married to Sonny Bono from 1964 to 1975 and to Gregg Allman from 1975 to 1979. She shared son Chaz, 54, with Bono, who died in 1998, and son Elijah Blue, 46, with Allman, who died in 2017.
Edwards, for his part, previously dated Amber Rose, with whom he shares son Slash Electric, 3. The rapper and the How to Be a Bad Bitch author, 39, called it quits in August 2021 after three years together. That same month, Edwards admitted that he cheated on Rose during their relationship.
