Unpacking the Affair Rumors About Beyoncé and Her Bodyguard
Beyoncé and Jay-Z have weathered plenty of storms together; they stayed together after Jay-Z’s cheating and successfully navigated their connection to Diddy during his arrest and trial. Still, one rumor refuses to go away. For years, fans have speculated that Beyoncé is actively having an affair with her bodyguard, Julius De Boer. Let’s take a look back at where the rumor began and why it has had so much staying power.
Rumors that Beyoncé and her bodyguard were an item began in 2014
Everyone knows Jay-Z cheated on Beyoncé. She sang about it on Lemonade, and he admitted to it in interviews. While his infidelity has been heavily discussed in a very public way, there have always been rumors about Beyoncé, too. Since 2014, fans and critics have wondered if something is going on between Beyoncé and her bodyguard, Julius De Boer.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé have employed the bodyguard since the early 2000s, but he spends much more time with Beyoncé. Online rumors really began when Julius was spotted with pink-stained lips, suspiciously close to Beyoncé’s lipstick color, while on the job. Since then, fans have picked apart every photo of the duo, noting just how close and comfortable they look together. Does that mean they are having an affair? No, but it has led to plenty of speculation.
A publicist admitted to planting the stories about the couple
While rumors about Beyoncé and her bodyguard largely stem from circumstantial evidence in photos, some fans believe Jonathan Hay, a former publicist for Rihanna, may have been directly involved in planting the story. Hay admitted to planting stories about Jay-Z and Rihanna on the internet to raise her engagement while he was working with her. According to Refinery29, Hay worked for Rihanna during Rihanna’s early career and started the rumor, hoping to drum up interest in her 2005 debut album. Rhianna was 17 at the time and had no idea what Hay was up to online.
The publicist has not admitted to being directly involved in the rumors about Beyoncé and her bodyguard. Still, it fits his pattern. The rumors began online, with little evidence to back up the claim. The rumor, however, didn’t involve anyone who required extra press.
Julius’ continued closeness raises more questions
While the original rumors have quieted, murmurs of Julius De Boer and Beyoncé’s involvement still pop up on social media occasionally. The reason for that is simple: De Boer still works for Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Fans have long speculated that Jay-Z is aware of the affair and that the couple continues to employ De Boer as a cover for the actual nature of the relationship.
The most recent round of speculation was directly fueled by Beyoncé herself. Her 2024 song, “Bodyguard,” has lyrics that are pretty intimate. Fans began speculating that the song was about her longtime employee as soon as it was announced. The lyrics did little to quell the rumors.
Neither Beyoncé, Jay-Z, nor Julius De Boer has responded to the rumors.
