Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first official outing at the Invictus Games and we all knew it meant one thing – Meghan Markle’s royal training had begun.
We’ve been hearing wedding bells for months now, and finally the sound in our ears are ringing to true!
Prince Henry of Wales has proposed to his actress love, and we can proudly say we saw this coming a mile away!
We look back to see how his family members handled this exciting moment in their romantic history!
We’re guessing Megs will soon be sporting a pretty rock on that finger…
A reminder of all the signs that lead to this huge moment!
Everyone with a heartbeat felt just how much the 33-year-old cared for the Suits actress when he issued a statement confirming their romance last year and asking for the media to back off.
Unlike his relationships with Chelsea Davy and Cressida Bonas, Harry felt the need to speak up and pledge himself to Meghan.
SIGN 2: The Vanity Fair interview
Meghan Markle started slowing down her online presence, her official outings and even shut down her lifestyle blog The Tig.
But it was the recent cover shoot and accompanying interview for Vanity Fair, publicly acknowledging her romance with Harry, that cemented the seriousness of their union.
SIGN 3: Stepping out in public… ON PURPOSE
We waited a year and it was well worth it. Meghan first showed her support for her man at the opening ceremony for the 2017 Invictus Games.
A day later, they gave the people what they wanted, stepping out for the semi-finals of the wheelchair tennis… Hand-in-hand.
It’s a great sign seeing Meghan at official events, just like Kate would attend royal events important to her then boyfriend – pictured at the Diana concert back in 2007.
Prince William and Kate Middleton
On November 16, 2010, Clarence House announced Prince William and Kate Middleton were getting married.
Prince William had been with his college girlfriend Kate Middleton for eight years.
It’s hard to think of a time when they weren’t the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Falling in love at St Andrews college, this fairytale’s villain was time.
Wills and Kate fell in love at university.
The pretty brunette had been cruelly dubbed “Waity-Katy”, resulting in a momentary 2007 break up… It didn’t last very long.
After eight weeks apart, the couple reunited.
Three years later, during their engagement interview, William reflected on that time, “We both were very young.”
“We were sort of both finding ourselves as such and being different characters and stuff, it was very much trying to find our way and we were growing up, and so it was just sort of a bit of space and a bit of things like that and it worked out for the better.”
In 2006, it was clear Kate was set to be a firm fixture in the royal family after she and her family attended Will’s graduation from the Royal Military Academy— marking her first invitation to a royal event, with Queen Elizabeth present!
The pair were firm friends before taking things further.
Kate confessed, “I think at the time I wasn’t very happy about it, but actually it made me a stronger person.”
“You find out things about yourself that maybe you hadn’t realised.”
Adding, “You can get quite consumed by a relationship when you are younger and I really valued that time for me as well—although I didn’t think it at the time.”
The Prince whisked his leading lady to Kenya in October 2010, where he asked one of the most important questions in his life.
Speculation was rife that a proposal had happened, but Kate and Wills didn’t confirm it until a month later.
“I didn’t really plan it that far in advance. I just knew I wanted it to feel comfortable where I did it and I wanted it to mean something, other than just the act of getting engaged.”
Prince William and Kate Middleton attended their friends Harry Meade And Rosie Bradford’s wedding on 23rd October 2010… AFTER they became engaged!
The look you make when you know you’ll be upgrading your accessories from a hat to a sapphire ring.
“The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton,” a statement released early in the morning from Clarence House on November 16, 2010, read.
“The wedding will take place in the Spring or Summer of 2011, in London. Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course.”
“Prince William and Miss Middleton became engaged in October during a private holiday in Kenya. Prince William has informed The Queen and other close members of his family. Prince William has also sought the permission of Miss Middleton’s father.”
“Following the marriage, the couple will live in north Wales, where Prince William will continue to serve with the Royal Air Force.”
Time to face the world!
The bride-to-be sparked off the “Kate Effect” with her now iconic Issa-designed blue dress.
The 18-carat sapphire ring once belonged to William’s late mother, Princess Diana.
After announcing their engagement to the world, the pair faced the press for an official photocall at London’s St James’s Palace to celebrate their impending marriage.
It was the first time the couple had ever sat down for an interview… And it was the first time we heard Kate speak.
Recalling the big moment, she gushed, “It was a total shock when it came.”
“There’s a true romantic in there.”
Kate’s parents were delighted by the news! Watch how they reacted in the video below.
Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
Prince Charles said at the time of their engagement, “Delighted and frankly amazed that Diana is prepared to take me on!”
Buckingham Palace made the announcement in February 1981.
Her son Prince William may have waited years to pop the question, but his father Prince Charles just needed a handful of dates to make Princess Diana his wife.
On February 24, 1981, Buckingham Palace announced, “It is with greatest pleasure that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh announce the betrothal of their beloved son the Prince of Wales to the Lady Diana Spencer, daughter of the Earl Spencer and the Honourable Mrs Shand Kydd.”
“Prince Charles proposed to Lady Diana three weeks ago at a private dinner at Buckingham Palace before she went to Australia.”
“He wanted her to use the trip to think over his proposal but she accepted immediately and he gave her a diamond and sapphire engagement ring.”
Royal watchers were certain Diana would become Charles’ bride after she attended Princess Margaret’s 50th birthday party in November, 1980.
Diana was just 19 when Charles started courting her.
A year before the announcement, Diana walks to her Earl’s Court flat.
In their official BBC interview, the 32-year-old Prince said he was “delighted and frankly amazed that Diana is prepared to take me on.”
Lady Diana said she too was “delighted and thrilled, blissfully happy.”
The 19-year-old admitted she could handle the dramatic change, saying, “With Prince Charles beside me I cannot go wrong.”
But things took an uncomfortable turn when they were asked if they were in love, to which Diana instantly replied, “Of course.”
Charles gruffly mused, “Whatever ‘in love’ means.”
The words would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten
The official announcement of the engagement came from Buckingham Palace on July 10 1947.
This year, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated 70 years since their engagement.
Back in 1947 on July 10, Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, as they were then known, were the picture of love during the official announcement at Buckingham Palace.
Her parents released the following statement, “It is with the greatest pleasure that the King and Queen announce the betrothal of their dearly beloved daughter, the Princess Elizabeth, to Lt. Philip Mountbatten, R.W, son of the late Prince Andrew and Princess Andrew (Princess Alice of Battenburg,) to which union the King has gladly given his consent.”
The couple are said to have become betrothed in the summer of 1946.
Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten couldn’t have been happier announcing their engagement.
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson
Prince Andrew with Sarah Ferguson after their engagement announcement at Buckingham Palace on March 17, 1986.
They may no longer be together, but there’s no denying Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have a deep love and affection for each other.
On the 17th March, 1986, Queen Elizabeth released a typewritten statement proclaiming the engagement of her second eldest son and the daughter of Prince Charles’ polo manager.
“It is with great pleasure that the queen and the Duke of Edinburgh announce the betrothal of their beloved son the Prince Andrew to Miss Sarah Ferguson, daughter of Maj. Ronald Ferguson and Mrs. Hector Barrantes,” the announcement said.
Ahh, breaking news was so romantic before the age of social media!
Princess Diana encouraged the union, inviting Sarah to sit with the Prince at Ascot.
Sarah was dear friend of Princess Diana, who played cupid with the redhead and her brother-in-law.
At the official engagement interview, Prince Andrew mused of their love, “There are always humble beginnings.”
“It’s got to start somewhere … We have known each other since we were 4 or 5 but it was not until 1983 or ’84 at various house parties that we became reacquainted.”
The true playfulness of their romance came out when they were asked “what they liked about one another.”
Comically pausing, Andrew remarked, “Oh…,” to which Sarah jumped in with “Wit, charm and good looks.”
Not missing a beat, her future husband said, “And her red hair!”
To this day, despite not being married, the pair are still dear friends.
