It started with a text message. One of Kristen Stewart’s best friend sent it as she was hanging out with her and Rob together. In the message, the friend wondered if anything was wrong, as she and Rob hadn’t seen each other in a while. Stewart read the message and smiled. Then she called her friend and told her everything was fine. She had just been with him, she said, and they were spending some time apart because he was going to work on a project.

A few days later, the project was finished and Rob dropped by Stewart’s apartment to give her a good-bye kiss. They’d been dating for two and a half years and were perfectly happy together. But that night, something was different. She told him she loved him and needed to know where this was going. Rob told her he didn’t love her and suggested they break up. They agreed not to be together anymore. And that was that.

Five years later, Rob has dated other women. Kristen Stewart remains single. One of Rob’s most recent escapades was with an Instagram star named Stella Mccarthy. He has also stayed in touch with Stewart’s two young children, Ruby and Valens, who now spend a lot of time with him. For a while, it seemed like the two had mended their ways. They were photographed together in New York City and had dinner with friends. But that was just a hunch. Nobody knows for sure what happened in that apartment in 2011. What we do know for sure is that when Rob was 25, he had one of the most famous breakups in recent history.

The Reasons Behind the Breakup

After the breakup, many people were curious about what exactly happened. Back in 2011, People magazine did a deep dive into Rob’s personal life and published an article suggesting he and Stewart had a rough patch. But the truth was a lot more complicated. Here are the reasons behind the breakup, as suggested by people who were there:

They Had Differing Ideas About Where Their Relationship Was Heading

In the two and a half years before he and Stewart broke up, Rob was extremely devoted to her. They were always together, either in public or in private. But when the time came to discuss serious topics, he shut down and was barely open to conversation. Stewart, on the other hand, wanted to be an equal partner in their relationship and was more than willing to have open conversations about the future of their partnership. This was a huge source of tension between them. In the end, it was this difference in opinion that caused their separation.

Stewart’s friend told People she believes Rob felt that if they were going to make a serious commitment to each other, he should own the entire process—from deciding where they were going to live to buying furniture to decorating the house. And she feels this is a problem that many men have, especially when it comes to relationships. When a man doesn’t feel like he’s being heard or that his opinion is being valued, he can become controlling and ultimately hostile.

They Were Both Ambivalent About Kids

For years, Stewart had been dating actors and musicians who didn’t want kids. But once she and Rob were together, she changed her mind. They wanted to be parents and decided to adopt. Stewart became extremely attached to her children and felt like she couldn’t give them up for anything. As a result, she was ambivalent about whether or not to have kids. Rob, on the other hand, didn’t want kids and wasn’t ready to be a father. This was another source of tension between them. Ultimately, they decided to be the parents they wanted to be and didn’t want to rush into anything. So they decided to go slow.

They Had Differing Ideas About Money

Stewart is an indie rocker and a minimalist. She spends a lot of her time and energy advocating for musicians and artists. She doesn’t like being compensated for her work. So when Rob started making a lot of money, they had a big fight about what to do with it. If anything, Rob wanted to keep most of it. He felt that working hard was the key to making money and becoming successful. So, if they were going to live together, he wanted to be the one responsible for the financial portion of the relationship. Unfortunately, this created even more tension between them. Eventually, Stewart convinced Rob to take a pay cut so she could start a family band with her friend. She still gets very little money and has to ask for financial help from her family and friends.

They Were Set Back By The Reception Their Relationship Received

Many people didn’t believe Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson were actually a real couple. There were rumors they were actually engaged or were going to get married. When they did something that confirmed these rumors, people congratulated them. But then, when the dust settled and they’d had time to cool down, they’d go back to being Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. Most of their friends and family didn’t believe their breakup was real. In fact, many people only heard about it through the grapevine. This is why it was so shocking when it was made public. Nobody wants to believe their best friend’s sibling is capable of being so cruel. But, in reality, nobody knows what happened between them. It’s still a mystery.

They Were Conflicted About Whether Or Not To Tell The Public They Were Back Together

For a while, it seemed like Rob and Stewart had decided to be honest with the public about their relationship. They held hands while on vacation and made statements about how happy they were. This is why, in January 2019, Stewart decided to go public and share a sweet reunion with Rob on Instagram. But then, a few days later, she decided to delete the post. She had a change of heart and didn’t want to burden Rob with her happiness. In her mind, Rob hadn’t done anything wrong. He was a good person who was just going through a rough patch. So, in the end, she decided to keep the reunion quiet. But, as she wrote in a tweet, “I want to be sure that Rob knows what he did to me. Once I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, I had to go for it.” This is a glimpse into Stewart’s complicated mind. She is a product of her time. Meaning, she was raised in a certain way and has very strong opinions about gender equality. One of her neighbors even described her as a “free-spirited feminist.” While these are all positive traits, they can also make her unpredictable.

They Were Disturbed By The Reception Their Breakup Received

To this day, Rob still gets upset when he sees stories about their breakup in the news. This is mainly because he doesn’t want to be defined by something as trivial as a broken engagement. While he understands it is part of his public image, he still wishes people would leave him alone. Stewart’s family and friends also get upset when they see stories about their breakup. It isn’t easy being the child of someone famous. You struggle to find your place in the world and are often subject to unwanted media attention.

Stewart Remains Single

After the breakup, Stewart decided to remain single. She has remained devoted to her children and spends a lot of time with them, going on walks with them and playing with them at home. In some ways, she feels like she hasn’t been close to a real friendship since. While she has many close female friends, she feels intimidated by men. This is especially true when she is around her children’s father. Ultimately, she decided to keep her children close and make them the center of her universe. She also decided to trust Rob’s judgment, even though he didn’t say he regretted what he did. So far, she has chosen wisely.

What Do You Think Is Behind The Breakup?

Do you think Rob and Stewart had split because of totally different ideas about parenting or were there other factors at play? Let us know what you think in the comments below!