Cher and Her Boyfriend Alexander ‘AE’ Edwards Are “Not Talking Marriage” but They Are “Very Much in Love”

Love is in the air for Cher and her new boyfriend, Alexander "AE" Edwards. The music legend, 76, and the music executive, 31, have been romantically linked since November 2022, when they were first seen holding hands.

Since then, their love has only grown stronger with Edwards even gifting Cher a diamond ring recently. "They are very much in love," a source told  PEOPLE about the pair, adding that the two were inseparable at a pre-Grammys party over the weekend.

"They held hands all night and were very lovey-dovey and kissing often," the source added. "They're not talking marriage or anything like that, but they are exclusive and serious." The insider also shared that "Cher was smiling the entire time" as she enjoyed a night out with her beau, who "stayed by her side" throughout the night.

The age gap between the two is also an appeal for Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again star. "Cher likes that he's young," the source says. "It's exciting for her." 

The couple has a 40-year age gap, but "the age difference for Cher is a plus and not an issue," another music industry insider told PEOPLE this January. Cher has admitted she's aware of how it looks from the outside. 

"On paper, it's kind of ridiculous," she said of the pairing during an appearance on the Kelly Clarkson Show in December 2022. "But in real life, we get along great. He's fabulous. And I don't give men qualities that they don't deserve."

This new love has been a solace for the singer, too, as she's navigated the painful loss of her mother, Georgia Holt, who died at 96 at the end of last year. "[It] "has helped ease the pain of the loss," a music industry source recently told PEOPLE. 

As far as the ring is concerned, which Edwards gifted Cher for Christmas, the dazzling, engagement-like diamond rock was the "perfect present to help her get through this bittersweet time," the source added. 

This is not Cher's first time dating a younger man. Before Edwards, she dated several men who were decades her junior, including Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise. She told Kelly Clarkson that "older men just didn't like me all that much," but she finds the opposite is true in dating younger partners. 

Before being with Cher, Edwards dated Amber Rose for three years, with whom he shares a 3-year-old son Slash Electric. Their relationship ended in August 2021, with Rose accusing him of cheating on her with at least 12 different people, per PEOPLE. Edwards later confirmed the accusation, saying he knew that he "could stop" cheating, but that would be to "deprive" himself of his "true nature." He added at that time, "I don't want to live like that."

Many of Cher's fans tweeted to her in November 2022, warning the music icon of his past history of cheating. "As we all know … I WASN'T BORN YESTERDAY," Cher replied on Twitter to a fan who said they were suspicious of Edwards's intentions. She added, "What I know for sure, is there are no guarantees. Anytime you make a choice, you take a chance. I've always taken chances ... it's who I am.

"I'm not defending us," she wrote in a follow-up tweet. "Haters are gonna hate … Doesn't matter that we're happy and not bothering anyone."

References:

https://people.com/music/cher-alexander-ae-edwards-not-talking-marriage-but-very-much-in-love/

https://people.com/music/cher-boyfriend-alexander-ae-edwards-has-helped-ease-pain-of-moms-loss-source/

https://people.com/music/amber-roses-partner-alexander-ae-edwards-admits-to-cheating-on-her-i-got-caught/

https://twitter.com/cher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD0aO7SA7Dw

Cover Image Source: (L) Getty Images | Jon Kopaloff; (R) Getty Images | Rich Polk