Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce engagement
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have announced their engagement.
Kensington Palace said the pair got engaged in London earlier this month and are to marry in spring 2018.
In a letter announcing the engagement, Clarence House added that Her Majesty The Queen and other close members of the Royal family had been informed, and that Ms Markle's parents had given their "blessing".
The Prince was first introduced to the American actress at a private members club in London in Summer 2016. A friend of Ms Markle's who managed the Soho House chain made the introductions.
When the story of their romance hit the headlines a few months later, Prince Harry was alarmed at the way the press began looking into Meghan's family and past relationships and took the highly unusual step of issuing a strongly worded statement.
It read: "The past week has seen a line crossed. His girlfriend Meghan Markle has been subject to a wave of abuse and harassment."
It went on: "He knows commentators will say 'this is the price she has to pay' and that 'this is part of the game'. He strongly disagrees. This is not a game it is her life and his."
The statement was the first official confirmation the pair were in a relationship.
But it wasn't until September this year that the new couple choose to be photographed in public for the first time . It happened at the Invictus Games - the event for wounded military veterans which Harry founded in 2014.
This year's Invictus Games took place in Toronto - the city in which Meghan Markle lives while she films the latest series of her hit TV show, "Suits".
The prince and actress attended a wheelchair tennis session. They arrived holding hands and were seen chatting with younger members of the audience.
Just before the appearance, Meghan has spoken of her relationship with Harry in an interview with Vanity Fair. She told the magazine: "We're two people who are really happy and in love. We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news."