Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton have announced their engagement after eight years together.
The announcement, made by royal officials on Tuesday, said Prince William and Kate are set to marry in spring or summer in London next year.
Read more about the Royal wedding countdown here!
The prince, 28, proposed to Kate on a holiday to Kenya last month, giving his 28-year-old fiancée his late mother’s ring. The ring, which the late Princess Diana first wore in 1981, is an oval blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds.
“It’s my mother’s engagement ring, so of course it’s very special to me,” Prince William said while posing for photos at St James’s Palace.
“This was my way of making sure that my mother didn’t miss out on today.”
See the ring plus Prince William and Kate’s romance in pictures here!
Kate said the engagement was a very personal time for the couple who have faced “will they, won’t they” speculation for most of their relationship.
“[The proposal] was out there in a very quiet lodge and it was very romantic and it was a very personal time for both of us,” she said.
Prince William, did however, admit he waited a long time to ask for Kate’s hand in marriage.
“I don’t remember how many years it’s been, forgetful memory,” he joked. “The timing is right now, we’re both very, very happy and I’m very glad that I have done it.”
Shortly after the announcement from Clarence House the Queen shared news of the couple’s engagement via the monarchy’s Twitter page.
The short message read: “The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are absolutely delighted at the news of Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s engagement.”
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