Britain’s Prince Harry is officially engaged to American actress Meghan Markle.
Harry’s father, Prince Charles, made the announcement in a statement Monday.
“His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince Harry to Ms. Meghan Markle.”
The statement said the wedding will take place in Spring 2018 and “Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course.”
The couple became engaged in London earlier this month, according to the statement.
Harry “informed The Queen and other close members of his family,” the announcement said, and “. . . also sought and received the blessing of Ms. Markle’s parents.”
An official announcement had been expected after Markle said in a recent interview in Vanity Fair about her relationship with Harry: “We’re a couple. We’re in love.”
Markle’s parents also released a statement, saying “We are incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents.”
Markle’s parents, Thomas Markle and Doris Ragland, are divorced.
Markle is best-known for her work in the television drama Suits.
She is a Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada, which campaigns for better education, food and healthcare for children around the world. As well as her humanitarian work, she is known for campaigning for gender equality.
She was married briefly in 2011 to film producer Trevor Engelson, but they split two years later.
The prince and the actress made their first public appearance in September at the Invictus Games in Toronto, a sports event for wounded veterans.
Last year, Harry, who is fifth in line to the throne, issued a statement decrying the media coverage of his girlfriend, condemning the “outright racism and sexism of social media trolls and web article comments,” as well as the racial stereotypes used in some newspapers.
Markle is bi-racial. Her father is white. Her mother is black.
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