Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down for their first-ever joint interview together on Monday, finally providing a glimpse into the relationship that has captured the world’s attention since late last year.
The newly engaged couple beamed with happiness as they spoke candidly with BBC News broadcaster Mishal Husain about their love story.
It comes just hours after news of their engagement came in a flurry of statements from the British Royal Family.
Harry, 33, and Meghan, 36, kicked off the intimate chat by revealing they became engaged over a roast chicken dinner at their home, Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace.
“It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage; just a standard typical night for us. Roasting a chicken… trying to roast a chicken,” Harry said of the private moment.
“She didn’t even let me finish, she said ‘can I say yes, can I say yes?’ and then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger and I was like can I — can I give you the ring? She goes — oh yes the ring.”
“It was a really nice moment, it was just the two of us and I think managed to catch her by surprise as well.”
Meghan added: “It was so sweet and natural and very romantic.”
The happy couple didn’t let go of each other’s hands throughout the entire interview.
The newly-engaged duo have been together for just over a year.
The actress, who is perhaps best known for her portrayal of ‘Rachel Zane’ on the popular legal drama Suits, went on to describe meeting Harry’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II — a much-speculated event, which is believed to have taken place over afternoon tea in mid-October.
Of course, Duchess Catherine didn’t meet the monarch until five years into her relationship with Prince William.
“It’s incredible, I think, you know, a) to be able to meet her through his lens, not just with his honour and respect for her as the monarch, but the love that he has for her as his grandmother, all of those layers have been so important for me so that when I met her I had such a deep understanding and of course incredible respect for being able to have that time with her,” she said.
“And we’ve had a really – she’s – she’s an incredible woman.”
Meghan also said the 91-year-old’s corgis were “just laying on my feet during tea. It was very sweet.”
Harry added of his grandmother’s dogs: “I’ve spent the last 33 years being barked at—this one walks in, absolutely nothing.”
WATCH: Harry says he fell in love with Meghan “incredibly quickly.” Post continues…
Harry soon described the beautiful story behind his bride-to-be’s engagement ring, which includes a stunning tribute to his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
“The ring is obviously yellow gold because that’s her favourite and the main stone itself I sourced from Botswana. The little diamonds either side are from my mother’s jewellery collection to make sure that she’s with us on this crazy journey together,” the beloved royal said.
Meghan added that the significance behind the ring was “so important.”
“I think everything about Harry’s thoughtfulness is — and the inclusion of that and obviously not being able to meet his mum it’s so important to me to — to know that she’s a part of this with us.”
“And I think in being able to meet his aunts and also like Julia [Samuel, Diana’s best friend] and just different people who were so important to his mum, I’m able to, in some way, know a part of her through them and of course through him.”
WATCH: The duo talk about including diamonds from Princess Diana’s personal collection in Meghan’s engagement ring. Post continues…
When asked what his mother would have thought of Meghan, Harry said the pair would have been “thick as thieves.”
“Oh they’d be thick as thieves, without question, I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, you know, so excited for me, but then, as I said, would have probably been best friends – best friends with Meghan,” he said.
“It’s days like these when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news. But you know, with the ring and with everything else that’s going on, I’m sure she’s jumping up and down somewhere.”
Meghan added: “She’s with us.”
Meghan’s engagement ring is set on a gold band, and features a diamond from Botswana — a place close to each of their hearts following several trips there as a couple — and two side stones which were taken from Harry’s mother, Diana’s, personal collection.
The happy couple, who are set to marry in the European spring of 2018, revealed they met on a blind date after being matched by a friend.
“We were introduced actually by a mutual friend. We’ll protect her privacy. But it was through her and then we met once and then twice back to back two dates in London, last July,” Harry said.
It wasn’t long before they travelled to “the middle of nowhere and shared a tent together” in Botswana.
“And then it was I think about three, maybe four weeks later that I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana,” the fifth-in-line to the throne continued.
“And we camped out with each other under the stars, we spent — she came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic.”
Harry and Meghan took their love public at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto.
Despite the quick-fire timeline and grandiosity of their first few months together, the pair insist their relationship has been anything but a “whirlwind.”
“I don’t think that I would call it a whirlwind in terms of our relationship, obviously there have been layers attached to how public it has become after we had a good five, six months almost with just privacy, which was amazing,” Meghan said.
“But no, I think we were able to really have so much time just to connect and we never went longer than two weeks without seeing each other, even though we were obviously doing a long distance relationship. So it’s — we made it work.”
WATCH: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle make an appearance shortly after announcing their engagement. Post continues…
The prince said he realises stepping into the royal way of life is “not easy for anybody” but together — as team — they’ll find their feet.
“That sense of responsibility was from day one. I know I’m in love with this girl and I hope she’s in love with me… but we had to have some frank conversations. It’s not easy for anybody,” he said.
“At the end of the day, she chooses me and I choose her and therefore whatever we have to tackle together or individually will always be as a team. She is capable of anything.”
Harry also touched briefly on the other question on everybody’s lips… when can we expect to hear the pitter-patter of little feet?
“Not currently. One step at a time…hopefully in the near future,” he said.
We can’t wait!
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