Another “Love Island USA” Season 7 romance has officially run its course. Clarke Carraway and Taylor Williams have split after taking their connection from Casa Amor to a real relationship outside the villa.
A source close to Clarke told PEOPLE that she “made the difficult decision to part ways with Taylor” and wishes him “the absolute best.” The source also made clear that Clarke is leaving the relationship with appreciation for what the two shared rather than publicly airing any conflict. “She will always be grateful for the time they shared together,” the source said, “and for everyone who showed them love and support from the very beginning.”
The source added, “As she closes out this chapter, she’s looking forward to focusing on her growth and what’s ahead.”
Their story started during Casa Amor in Season 7, when Williams developed a connection with Clarke after previously being coupled with Olandria Carthen. Taylor ultimately chose Clarke at the Casa Amor recoupling, and the two were later dumped from the villa together
The couple did not immediately put an official label on their relationship after filming. Taylor and Clarke officially began dating in October 2025. Their relationship then became part of “Love Island: Beyond the Villa” Season 2, which followed Season 7 cast members as they adjusted to life, relationships and public attention outside Fiji.
Just months before the split, Taylor was talking publicly about how much their relationship had grown. In an April interview with Cosmopolitan, he discussed Clarke supporting him after a horse riding accident left him recovering on bed rest.
“I got to see who Clarke really was when I was on bed rest for two weeks. I got to see her caring side, how much she loves me, and how much she wants to tend to me, if I need her to,” Williams said. “We definitely grew super strong.”
Taylor told the outlet that the accident had brought them closer, while Clarke discussed the importance of being able to care for one another. The interview offered a very different snapshot of the relationship only a few months before the breakup, showing how quickly circumstances can change once couples move beyond the controlled environment of reality television and settle into their everyday lives.
The breakup also arrives during a major shift for another relationship tied directly to their Season 7 story. PEOPLE confirmed on July 22 that Olandria Carthen and Nic Vansteenberghe had separated after roughly a year together. Olandria had originally been coupled with Taylor before Casa Amor changed the direction of his relationship, while she later formed a connection with Nic. Olandria and Nic ultimately reached the finale and finished in second place behind winners Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales.
A source attributed Nic and Olandria’s separation to the practical challenges of maintaining their relationship after the show.
“The distance between them and their busy schedules made it challenging to maintain their connection,” the source told PEOPLE. “They still remain close friends. They share a deep love and respect for each other and will always support one another whenever possible.”
Nic later addressed the breakup himself. He wrote in a subscribers only TikTok post, “The rumors are true. I didn’t want to give people false hope, so I want to clear the air.” He added, “We will continue to love each other ALWAYS. It’s a sensitive, as well as a private subject; thank you for respecting our privacy.”
Taken together, the Clarke and Taylor split and the recent end of Olandria and Nic’s romance underline the part of “Love Island USA” that cameras can only capture for so long. Season 7 connected both pairs through one of its biggest relationship pivots, but the real test came after Fiji, when filming ended, schedules changed and each couple had to decide what their relationship looked like without a villa surrounding them. For Clarke and Taylor, that chapter has now officially closed.
