Deep breaths everybody because the world’s most eligible bachelor, Prince Harry, is set to marry American actress Meghan Markle after proposing to the star in London earlier this month.
After months of fevered speculation the 33-year-old had popped the question, Clarence House released an official statement on behalf of Prince Charles confirming the exciting news on Monday morning, British time.
In full, it reads: “The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle.”
“His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales and Ms. Meghan Markle are engaged to be married.
The Prince of Wales made this announcement this morning: His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle.
The wedding will take place in Spring 2018. Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course.
His Royal Highness and Ms. Markle became engaged in London earlier this month. Prince Harry has informed Her Majesty, The Queen and other close members of his family.
Prince Harry has also sought and received the blessing of Ms. Markle’s parents. The couple will live in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace.”
Prince Charles also released a statement on behalf of himself and wife Duchess Camilla: “We’re thrilled. We’re both thrilled. We hope they’ll be very happy indeed.”
Shortly after, a statement from Meghan Markle’s parents Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle was shared.
It reads: “We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents.
We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together.”
Prince Harry’s older brother Prince William and his wife Duchess Catherine also released a statement congratulating the happy couple.
“We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”
And of course, Prince Harry’s biggest supporters – The Queen and Prince Philip – couldn’t be more thrilled for their grandson.
Their statement reads: “The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are delighted for the couple and wish them every happiness.”
The palace also confirmed the couple will give their first-ever joint interview and pose for an engagement photo shoot this afternoon, UK time (around 1am in Australia).
“Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle will appear for a photo call at Kensington Palace later this afternoon. Stay tuned! The couple will also take part in a broadcast interview to be aired this evening UK time,” Kensington Palace revealed.
It’s a ground-breaking moment for the British Royal Family as it marks the first time an American has married into the dynasty since Wallis Simpson controversially wed King Edward VIII in 1937.
But thankfully we’re now living in 2017 and unlike King Edward VIII, who gave up the throne so he could marry the twice-divorced socialite, Prince Harry’s marriage to his new wife, who was previously married to producer Trevor Engelson between 2013, will be celebrated by his loved ones and indeed the world!
Their engagement announcement comes hot on the heels of their stunning Invictus Games debut in September, where they put on a loved-up display at the wheelchair tennis and the closing ceremony.
Wedding rumours reached fever pitch after Meghan Marke’s mother Doria Ragland joined the couple at the event.
Before Invictus, Meghan and Harry have gone to great lengths not be seen together and have only been sighted in public together a few times.
In March, Meghan joined Harry as his plus one for his best mate Tom Inskip’s wedding in Jamaica’s Montego Bay.
In September, the duo sat front and centre at the wheelchair tennis semi-finals at the Invictus Games in Toronto.
The couple will wed in the European spring of 2018, which could fall over March, April or May.
In May, the Suits star was spotted cheering on her man from the stands at a charity polo match in Ascot, England.
They also jetted off on a romantic holiday for Meghan’s 36th birthday, spending three weeks travelling around Africa. They enjoyed a brief stay at The Queen’s Scottish highlands estate in Balmoral, with speculation rife he could have introduced Meghan to his grandmother.
But perhaps the biggest clue Harry had dropped a knee was Meghan’s unprecedented interview with Vanity Fair in September.
“We’re a couple. We’re in love. I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time,” she told the publication.
Adding: “This is for us. It’s part of what makes it so special, that it’s just ours. But we’re happy. Personally, I love a great love story.”
Game over! When Meghan gave her Vanity Fair interview it was obvious an engagement was imminent.
At the time, royal sources said there would be no way Meghan would have been sanctioned by the palace to do an interview had an engagement not already occurred.
News of their romance first broke in October with The Express first reporting the story.
“Harry loves to hear about Meghan’s humanitarian work and he thinks she’s doing a fantastic job,” a source explained at the time.
“She is sassy, smart and vivacious and he just adores her love of life.”
WATCH: Harry and Meghan pack on the PDA at the Invictus Games. Post continues…
The couple put on an affectionate display at the Invictus Games closing ceremony in September.
“She is sassy, smart and vivacious and he just adores her love of life,” a friend says of why Harry fell for the star.
One person who deserves a knighthood, or at the very least a case of beer as thanks, is the mutual friend responsible for introducing them in the first place – Markus Anderson.
Meghan’s best mate, who is the global membership director at London’s Soho House, is no doubt patting himself on the back right now.
Congratulations to the beautiful couple. Now roll on that royal wedding!
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A huge congratulations to Meghan and Harry!
