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Candice Swanepoel step out with a visible accessory as rumors about her love life continue to grow. The Victoria’s Secret model was photographed wearing an ornate gold band on her left ring finger in Surfside, Florida, amid reports she has been quietly dating Tom Brady. None of them have confirmed a public commitment. But the scene comes when their romance is attracting attention for another reason: it is said to have caused a falling out between Swanepoel and a long-time friend. Joan Smalls.
Candice Swanepoel’s gold ring attracts attention in Florida
Swanepoel wore a black tank top and black shorts while out and about in the coastal community near Miami Beach this week. With her blonde hair down and large sunglasses covering her eyes, the model kept her outfit simple. The thick gold band on his left hand was harder to miss.
The Daily Mail reported the scene as speculation continued about her relationship with Brady, who also lives in the Miami area.
Sources say that Candice And Tom have been communicating quietly
According to PEOPLE, the reported relationship between Swanepoel and Brady has been developing away from the cameras. “They’ve been dating for a while now,” an insider told the outlet. “They both live in Miami, so it’s very convenient. They spend a lot of time together.”
Another source said that Swanepoel “has been very secretive and selective about who she tells about their going out,” adding, “When they meet, they’re gone.” [to great] long unseen.”
The dating reports surfaced around the same time Swanepoel and Smalls appeared at this month’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in Los Angeles. But while the models were sharing the runway, reports soon suggested their long-term friendship had hit a rough patch behind the scenes.
Joan Smalls Reportedly Felt ‘Completely Blind’
According to Us Weekly, Smalls reportedly had her own romantic history with Brady before he was linked to Swanepoel. A source said that Smalls and the former quarterback “had been seeing each other on and off for about a year between 2023 and 2024. It was never anything serious, but they did hook up for a while and still kept in touch after that.”
Reportedly, this history made the news about Swanepoel particularly painful. “Candice and Joan had been best friends for years. They basically came up together in the modeling world and through Victoria’s Secret, so they had a close relationship and a long history with each other,” the insider told the outlet.
The source described Smalls as “completely blindsided” and said she “felt very betrayed,” viewing the reported romance as “the ultimate break of girl code.”
Questions about the models’ relationship increased after fans noticed they were no longer following each other on Instagram. According to an exchange circulated by DeuxMoi, one person asked Smalls if she and Swanepoel were “friends anymore.”
In a comment that was said to have since been deleted, Smalls told him, “I’m not friends with traitors.”
Just Jared also reported another deleted comment that read, “There’s no going back. Some people lack humility and a moral compass. And the way they flaunt, lie and discount your feelings is the worst slap in the face after 15 years of friendship. It’s not hard to say or write. Onward and upward!”
The reported comments did not name Brady or explain exactly what had happened between the women. A rep for Swanepoel addressed the speculation in a statement shared with E! News. “Candice has been extremely private in her personal life, still focused on raising her children. She and Joan share a long history and friendship that Candice will always cherish,” said the rep.
Gisele Bundchen has reportedly dismissed the dating claims
While reports have hinted at tensions involving Smalls, Brady’s ex-wife, Gisele Bundchenreportedly taking the news in stride. According to TMZ, Bundchen doesn’t feel Brady’s alleged relationship with Swanepoel is slowing down. The service said that the two models were friendly during the work but were never particularly close.
Brady and Bundchen split in 2022 and share son Benjamin, 16, and daughter Vivian, 13. He also shares son Jack, 19, with ex Bridget Moynahan.
Swanepoel has two sons, Anacan, 10, and Ariel, eight, with fellow model Hermann Nicoli. The former couple got engaged in 2015 before splitting in 2018.
Bundchen has also moved on in her personal life, marrying Joaquim Valente last December after welcoming their son earlier that year.
