Alright, folks, let’s talk about the royal couple everyone’s buzzing about: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This week, they made their first official public appearance together, and it was a real moment. Now, unlike other members of the British royal family, Harry and Meghan have kept their relationship pretty private. They’ve only been dating for about a year, but it feels like they’re both at that stage in life where settling down isn’t just a thought—it’s a priority. But how can we tell when the big news of their engagement is about to drop? Let’s break it down.
The First Sign: That Powerful Statement
When Harry issued a statement last year confirming their relationship and asking the media to back off, it spoke volumes. At just 33 years old, Harry showed how deeply he cared for the 36-year-old Suits actress. This wasn’t just another fling for him—this was different. Unlike his previous relationships with Chelsy Davy and Cressida Bonas, Harry felt the need to step up and protect Meghan. That’s a big deal. He wasn’t just pledging himself to her; he was drawing a line in the sand and saying, “Enough is enough.”
Sign Two: That Vanity Fair Interview
Meghan has been making some pretty significant changes in her life since she started dating Harry. She slowed down her online presence, stopped making official public appearances, and even shut down her popular lifestyle blog, The Tig. But the real turning point came when she did that cover shoot and accompanying interview for Vanity Fair. By publicly acknowledging her romance with Harry, Meghan sent a clear message: this relationship is serious. It’s not just a casual thing; it’s the real deal.
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Sign Three: Stepping Out Together
We waited a whole year, but oh boy, was it worth it. Meghan showed her support for Harry at the opening ceremony for the 2017 Invictus Games. The next day, they gave the world exactly what it wanted: a public appearance where they walked hand-in-hand. That moment said everything. It wasn’t just about showing up together; it was about showing the world that they’re a team. And let me tell you, the chemistry was undeniable.
While we’re all on the edge of our seats waiting for Kensington Palace to make that official announcement, let’s take a look back at how other royal couples have shared their engagement news with the world. Keep reading!
Prince William and Kate Middleton: A Modern Royal Love Story
Now, let’s talk about Prince William and Kate Middleton. They were together for eight years before they got engaged. Eight years! It’s hard to imagine a time when they weren’t the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. They met at St Andrews College, and their love story felt like something out of a fairy tale—except for one little villain: time. Kate was famously dubbed “Waity-Katie,” and it led to a brief breakup in 2007. But guess what? They reunited after just eight weeks apart. Three years later, during their engagement interview, William opened up about that time. He said, “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.”
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Kate also opened up about that time, saying, “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 realized. You can get quite consumed by a relationship when you’re younger, and I really valued that time for me as well—although I didn’t think it at the time.” Eventually, William whisked Kate away to Kenya in October 2010, where he popped the big question. Speculation was everywhere, but they didn’t confirm it until a month later. William said at the time, “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.”
On November 16, 2010, Clarence House released the official statement: “The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton. 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.”
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Prince Charles and Princess Diana: Love at First Sight
Now, let’s go back to Prince Charles and Princess Diana. While William waited years to propose, Charles didn’t waste any time. On February 24, 1981, Buckingham Palace announced, “It is with the 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.”
The announcement went on to say, “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.”
