Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Engaged

It’s official: Prince Harry is engaged to marry American actress girlfriend Meghan Markle.

The couple will marry next spring, according to a statement from Clarence House:

The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle. pic.twitter.com/zdaHR4mcY6

— Clarence House (@ClarenceHouse) November 27, 2017

Prince Harry and Markle had dated for over a year before making their first public appearance at the Invictus Games in Toronto this September.   

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle: The Modern Royal Couple

The marriage between the reformed royal “bad boy” and the Suits actress is expected to usher in a new era for the traditionally conservative British monarchy, with a new generation of royals keen on presenting themselves as modern and down-to-earth.

While both Harry and older brother William operate in the same magnanimous spirit as Princess Diana, Harry in particular seems to embrace his late mother’s more personal approach. Earlier this year, he told Newsweek that no one in his family really wants to sit on the throne, though he himself is fifth in line and William is second, explaining, “We are not involved in modernizing the British monarchy. We are not doing this for ourselves but for the greater good of the people.”

In terms of modernity, nothing could be more modern that the grandson of Queen Elizabeth II marrying a divorced and biracial actress from America. It sounds like something out of a movie—though it’s not the first time a British royal has fallen for an American. King Edward VIII, fans of The Crown will already know, famously abdicated to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson, forcing his stuttering brother to take his place and become King George VI.

Not nearly as scandalous, Harry and Markle’s engagement has reportedly been met with positivity and enthusiasm across the board. The queen and husband Prince Phillip, who recently celebrated 70-years of marriage themselves, said that they were “delighted” with the news and wished the couple “every happiness.”

Once married, Prince Harry and Markle are expected to be called duke and duchess of Sussex. If Prince Harry declined the dukedom, however, he would remain Prince Henry of Wales.