Serious doubt has been cast over Ariana Grande’s claim that she ended her marriage with Dalton Gomez in February – with sources close to the singer calling into question the dates listed in her divorce paperwork while insisting that she was still officially in a relationship with her spouse months after she says they split.
The 30-year-old hitmaker and her estranged husband Dalton, 28, simultaneously filed for divorce last Monday, nearly two months after her new beau Ethan Slater – whom she recently moved in with – filed for divorce from his wife Lilly Jay.
Ariana’s own social media activity has also raised suspicion, with the Dangerous Woman singer sharing a loving tribute to her husband on May 15 – three months after the February 20 separation date stated in the divorce documents.
Ariana’s camp has repeatedly denied claims that she and Ethan began their romance before she and Dalton had split, insisting that they did not start dating until after she had ended her marriage.
Ariana Grande’s claim that her marriage to husband Dalton Gomez ended on February 20 has been slammed by insiders who say the pair were still together months later
Ariana, 30, announced her split from Dalton in July – just days before it was revealed she had started a romance with her Wicked co-star Ethan Slater
Days before the official date of their split, both Ariana and Dalton shared loving Valentine’s Day messages to one another, and sources have now told DailyMail.com that Dalton traveled to London to visit Ariana on the set of Wicked several times after February – where they even went on double dates with Ethan and his now-ex-wife Lilly.
‘Saying she was split with Dalton in February is absolutely impossible,’ an insider claimed exclusively to DailyMail.com.
‘Dalton was with her in February and they both gushed over each other for Valentine’s Day. He was in London a couple times after February, including in April when Ariana and Dalton went on double dates with Ethan and Lilly.’
A spokesperson for Ariana declined to comment.
There certainly seemed to be no sign of trouble in paradise on February 14 when Dalton shared a rare picture of himself and Ariana hugging in a vineyard on the day with the words: ‘My forever valentine @arianagrande.’
His then-wife reposted the snap and added: ‘i love you,’ while adding a heart emoji.
In April, a source close to the couple claimed that they were ‘very in love’ despite the long distance between them while Ariana filmed Wicked in the UK.
‘Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez have both been keeping busy with work projects,’ they told Entertainment Tonight.
‘Ariana has been so focused, but Dalton has been there with her and supporting her behind the scenes. He is happy for her and they are very in love.’
In fact, the pair seemed stronger than ever when they marked their two-year anniversary on May 15.
The pair had seemed more in love than ever when Ariana marked their two-year anniversary on May 15 on Instagram
The former couple had also publicly professed their love for each other just days before as they marked Valentine’s Day on Instagram
Ariana has now officially filed for divorce from Dalton; they are seen in now-deleted images on Instagram from May 2021
The divorce filing came nearly two months after her new beau Ethan Slater had filed for divorce from his wife Lilly Jay; the former couple are seen in November 2018
The Honeymoon Avenue singer shared a loved-up picture of the pair kissing on their wedding day with the words: ‘i love him so.’
She also wrote ‘2’ and a love heart emoji to indicate the celebration of two years, while she added: ‘(3-5 together!!!!)’.
The day before she also liked a gushing Instagram post that Ethan had shared about Lilly.
However, insiders claim that the story behind-the-scenes was very different to that being played out on social media – alleging that Ariana and Ethan’s romance had already started back in March, months before they told their respective spouses.
‘Ariana and Ethan were already [in a relationship] in March when they went to Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar party… Lilly and Dalton both found out about [it] at the same time – in July,’ the insider said.
Social media videos posted from Michelle’s event – which took place on March 27 – show Ariana and Ethan looking very intimate while preparing to take a photo with their fellow Wicked co-stars.
A second source claimed that Dalton is ‘going along’ with Ariana’s timeline of events so as not to jeopardize any potential payout he might receive in the divorce.
‘Ariana’s team was aware of [her relationship with Ethan] while she was filming Wicked because they have so many people on set that witnessed it and knew what was going on,’ the insider claimed.
‘They advised her to end it and she did not. Ariana was already calling it love in June.’
They continued: ‘Dalton is going along with whatever Ariana wants because he is getting a massive payout for all of this – in the millions of dollars.
‘Ariana is trying to do anything to save her image so by saying they were broken up in February to make it seem like she was not unfaithful to her husband.’
Fans have already raised serious questions over Ariana’s timeline of events after trawling through her social media activity.
‘Why did Ariana post on her story for her wedding anniversary if her and Dalton split in February,’ asked one bemused fan.
According to TMZ, Ariana’s celebrity lawyer Laura Wasser cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason behind the divorce.
TMZ insiders claim that everything was worked out between the pair before going to the courthouse and that Ariana will ‘cut Dalton a check’ and the marriage will officially be dissolved.
The source for the publication also notes that the two took their time in order to really go over the details and settle amicably as the reason it had taken so long between the split and divorce filing.
The TMZ insider claims that there are no hard feelings between the two and ‘they’ve been really caring and respectful of one another every step of this process.’
‘Saying she was split with Dalton in February is absolutely impossible,’ an insider exclusively told DailyMail.com
Fast romance: Ariana and luxury real estate agent Dalton began dating in January 2020 and announced their engagement 11 months later
Big day: The two married in an intimate ceremony with less than 20 people at their home in Montecito, California in May 2021
Ariana and luxury real estate agent Dalton began dating in January 2020 and announced their engagement 11 months later.
The two married in an intimate ceremony with less than 20 people at their home in Montecito, California in May 2021.
At the time Ariana posted photos from the occasion which have since been deleted from Instagram.
Back in July, Ariana’s new beau Ethan, 31, filed for divorce from his ‘devastated’ wife Lilly.
The couple married in 2018 and welcomed a son in August last year.
‘Ariana is living with a married man right now while she is still married,’ a source close to the situation told DailyMail.com exclusively before Ariana and Dalton had filed for divorce.
Ethan and Ariana are living together while he rehearses, pictured, for upcoming Broadway show Spamalot
After news of the relationship broke, the Broadway star set his Instagram account — which the God Is A Woman singer follows — to private
The pair met in December 2022 on the UK set of the film adaptation of the smash-hit Broadway musical, in which Ariana plays Glinda – the good witch – alongside Ethan as munchkin Boq.
Weeks earlier People magazine reported that the pair were strictly ‘friends’ until after they split with their respective spouses.
But a separate source said those claims were ‘absolutely untrue’ adding that there were ‘receipts to prove it.’
‘Ariana and Ethan never intended for their relationship to go public,’ the second source told DailyMail.com.
‘They were hoping to keep it a secret and go back to their marriages as if nothing had happened. But this was not possible because they got caught.
‘Now they are stuck together and have really nothing in common with each other. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.’
Both couples announced they had split within a few days of each other back in July, with Ariana announcing her separation from Dalton just three days before confirming her new relationship with Ethan, who then filed for divorce from Lilly.
He cited irreconcilable differences and asked for joint custody of their newborn son.
Multiple sources who witnessed Ariana and Ethan’s lovefest told DailyMail.com that they were being ‘sloppy’ on and off set, including at Michelle Yeoh’s Oscars party back in March.
‘They were seen being all over each other while he was still supposedly happily married to Lilly,’ they said.
‘They were seen making out at a pub in Hampstead, and they were all over each other at Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar party [in March].’
Ethan gushed about his soon-to-be ex-wife on their fourth wedding anniversary in November last year, with Ariana liking the since-deleted post.
Ariana and Ethan (seen in March) went on ‘multiple double dates’ with their respective spouses while carrying on their own romance, an insider previously revealed to DailyMail.com
A source told DailyMail.com: ‘Ariana is trying to do anything to save her image so by saying they were broken up in February to make it seem like she was not unfaithful to her husband’; Ariana and Ethan pictured with Ethan on the set of Wicked in May
DailyMail.com obtained a photo of Ariana and Ethan celebrating her 30th birthday together in the British countryside on June 27 – weeks before they announced their splits
Ariana and Dalton and Ethan and Lilly would double date together during filming for Wicked in the UK, with Lilly hanging out with members of Ariana’s family.
In March, Ariana was pictured with Ethan on a stroll around London with his son and was even seen pushing the stroller.
A photo, taken by a fan, shows Ariana giving a peace sign. The stroller, however, was cropped out of the original photo.
Lilly was not present with them for their outing.
‘Ariana and Dalton went on double dates with Ethan and Lilly several times – and they were seen out by cast members,’ a source previously told DailyMail.com. ‘Lilly and Ethan also met Ariana’s family together, including her mom and her brother.’
The insider added that Ariana ‘hung out’ with Lilly and her newborn baby multiple times before her romance with Ethan was revealed – and even told those around her how much she ‘wanted a baby one day’ after bonding with Lilly and Ethan’s.
Ethan and Lilly Jay – who married four years ago after meeting in 2012 – welcomed a son last August
Ariana doubled down on her shock split from Dalton by deleting all photos of their wedding from Instagram.
Sources said that they tried to fix their marriage ‘months ago but it ‘failed.’ It was also claimed Dalton had flown to London in January in a last-ditch effort to save the pair’s marriage.
It was suggested that Ethan and Lilly also tried to fix their marriage prior to starting divorce proceedings, but sources later denied this to DailyMail.com.
‘They did not work out [because Ariana and Ethan] kept the affair going despite [that],’ a source said at the time.
In the wake of Ethan filing for divorce, Lilly spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com, revealing that she was attempting to move past her heartbreak and instead focus on raising her son as a single mother.
‘I am focused on rebuilding a life for our son. This is what I am trying to do and this is my only focus,’ she said.
Ethan and Ariana went off radar following the news that they were dating, but the pair returned to social media earlier this month, with Ethan scrubbing all trace of Lilly.
Ariana shocked fans on July 17 by announcing she and husband Dalton had split. She has since deleted all trace of him from her Instagram account
He simply posted a video from Spamalot rehearsals in New York City, which debuts on Broadway in mid-November.
Ariana, who has primarily been posting about her new line of makeup, liked Ethan’s post.
This is not the first time that Ariana has faced allegations of infidelity. Her ex, Jai Brooks, accused the Thank U, Next singer of cheating on him in 2013 with The Wanted’s Nathan Sykes.
‘Yes I was cheated on. Yes it does suck. Yes I was left for another man,’ Jai wrote at the time.
He went on to say he was ‘a miserable wreck’ and added: ‘Like anyone who has been cheated on, it has been tough for me but I’m finally ready to move on.’
Ariana’s relationship with Nathan was short-lived and the following year she started dating Big Sean – while he was engaged to the late Glee star, Naya Rivera.
In her autobiography, Naya wrote: ‘We’d been fighting for five straight days while he was traveling, and then on the one day that he was back in LA he said he didn’t want to see me.
‘Well, a‑‑hole, I’ve got a key to your house. I walk in, go downstairs, and guess what little girl is sitting cross-legged on the couch listening to music? … It rhymes with “Smariana Schmande.”‘
Ariana denied the relationship, insisting that she only started dating Big Sean after he split from Naya.
In 2016, Ariana began dating DJ Mac Miller and the two stayed together until 2018.
Three weeks after Ariana and Mac split, she confirmed that she was in a relationship with Pete Davidson. The pair were engaged within a matter of weeks.
The pair separated when Mac died of a drug overdose at his home in LA in September 2018.
Ariana later addressed Mac’s death in her song, Thank U, Next, which was written about all of the men who she dated. She sang: ‘Wish I could say thank you to Malcolm, cuz he was an Angel’.
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater relationship timeline: A look back at how the Wicked co-stars romance blossomed while both still married to other people
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s relationship appears to have heated up in the two months since Wicked wrapped filming in the UK in mid-July.
The Dangerous Woman singer, 30, and Ethan, 31, are now living together in NYC, where Ethan is preparing for the November debut of his lead role in Spamalot on Broadway.
Ethan has filed for divorce from his wife of four years, Lilly Jay – with whom he shares a one-year-old son – but Ariana and her husband Dalton, 28, have yet to file.
As their love story continues to blossom, DailyMail.com has created a timeline of their relationship using only facts and photos.
Getting serious: Ariana and Ethan are now living together in NYC
MAY 15, 2021 – ARIANA MARRIES DALTON
‘I do’: Ariana and Dalton – who got engaged in December 2020 – married at her mansion in Montecito, California in 2021. Pictured here on their wedding day
NOVEMBER 4, 2021 – ARIANA IS CAST AS GLINDA THE GOOD WITCH IN UPCOMING FILM WICKED
Dream come true: On November 4, 2021, Ariana broke down in tears when she revealed on Instagram that she was cast to play Glinda in the upcoming film Wicked.
AUGUST 2022 – ETHAN AND WIFE LILLY WELCOME A BABY BOY
Baby joy: Ethan and wife of four years Lilly – who started dating 10 years prior – welcomed their first child together, which he announced on Instagram
NOVEMBER 11, 2022 – ETHAN CELEBRATES FOUR YEAR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY WITH LILLY
Soul partner: Ethan calls Lilly ‘the love of my life’ in a super sweet Instagram post, pictured, to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary.
DECEMBER 7, 2022 – ETHAN JOINS WICKED
Celebrate: Ethan announced that he had joined the cast of Wicked on Instagram in a photo that showed his feet facing Ariana’s dancing shoes
DECEMBER 9, 2022 – WICKED BEGINS FILMING IN THE UK
Action!: Ariana and the cast begin filming Wicked in the UK, which she says was a ‘dream come true’
FEBRUARY 2023 – ETHAN’S WIFE LILLY AND THEIR BABY BOY SPOTTED WITH HIM IN UK
Family together: Ethan and Lilly (with their baby) were spotted in UK where is he filming Wicked. Ethan shared a photo of his son’s onesie, which reads Wicked Cute.
FEBRUARY 6, 2023 – ARIANA AND DALTON SPOTTED IN UK LEAVING RESTAURANT
Reunited: Ariana and her husband Dalton are spotted having crepes at a restaurant in the UK, pictured. Ariana and Dalton were also going on double dates with Ethan and Lilly during this time.
MARCH 5, 2023 – ARIANA AND ETHAN TAKE HIS BABY BOY OUT FOR A STROLL IN LONDON
Mother not invited: Ariana and Ethan took his son out for a stroll in London without Lilly. Ariana was seen pushing the stroller at one point.
MARCH 13, 2023 – ARIANA AND ETHAN TOUCHY-FEELY AT MICHELLE YEOH’S OSCAR PARTY
Spouses not included: Ariana and Ethan were very touchy-feely at Michelle Yeoh’s Oscar party in London. They arrived and left together.
MAY 14, 2023 – ETHAN WISHES LILLY HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY ON INSTAGRAM, ARIANA LIKES THE POST
Foreshadowing: Ethan wished his wife Lilly a Happy Mother’s Day on Instagram, calling her ‘loving’ and ‘wonderful.’ Ariana liked the post.
MAY 31, 2023 – ARIANA AND ETHAN GET VERY CLOSE ON WICKED SET, CAMERAS NOT ROLLING
Suss: Ariana and Ethan are photographed having an intimate talk filming Wicked when camera’s were not rolling. Sources tell DailyMail.com that they were ‘sloppy on set.’
In plain sight: Ariana and Ethan were photographed heading towards their trailer during a break from filming Wicked
JUNE 27, 2023 – ETHAN HAS HIS ARM AROUND ARIANA AS THEY CELEBRATE HER BIRTHDAY
Photos don’t lie: DailyMail.com published this photo showing Ethan with his arm around Ariana while celebrating her 30th birthday in the UK, weeks before they went public.
JULY 14, 2023 – FILMING ABRUPTLY ENDS ON WICKED SET DUE TO SAG / AFTRA STRIKE
It’s a wrap: Wicked ends filming and set is demolished, pictured, amid the SAG / AFTRA strike. Ariana and Ethan remained in the UK.
JULY 17, 2023 – ARIANA’S REP CONFIRMS THAT THE SINGER AND DALTON ARE DIVORCING
It’s over: Ariana’s rep confirmed to DailyMail.com that Ariana is divorcing Dalton, pictured here in 2022, after four years of marriage. Two months later, there are still no divorce papers.
JULY 20, 2023 – ARIANA DELETES DALTON WEDDING PHOTOS FROM INSTAGRAM
Peace out: Ariana deletes all photos of Dalton from her Instagram, including their wedding pictures. She later re-adds the non-wedding photos.
JULY 20, 2023 – ARIANA’S REP CONFIRMS SHE IS DATING ETHAN
Busy day: After Ariana deleted the photos of Dalton, her rep confirmed that she is dating Ethan, pictured at Michelle Yeoh’s party
JULY 26, 2023 – ETHAN FILES FOR DIVORCE FROM WIFE LILLY
Heartbreaker: Ethan filed for divorce from Lilly less than one week after Ariana splits with Dalton. He has asked for joint custody of their newborn baby.
JULY 26, 2023: ETHAN TURNS HIS INSTAGRAM TO PRIVATE AFTER BACKLASH FROM FANS
Rogue: Ethan turns his Instagram to private after getting slammed with hateful comments on his Instagram
SEPTEMBER 6, 2023 – ETHAN RETURNS TO INSTAGRAM, DELETES ALL PHOTOS OF LILLY
One more time: Ethan returns to Instagram to promote his upcoming Broadway show, Spamalot. Ariana, who is living with her man, liked the post.
History repeats itself: Ethan’s upcoming show Spamalot debuts on Broadway mid-November. WIll Ariana attend the show?
