The world held its breath at the end of last week when rumours went into overdrive with the news that the engagement between Prince Harry and US Actress and Humanitarian Meghan Markle was imminent.
Friday came and went with no engagement much to the disappointment of many.
The Sunday Express is now reporting that all the excitement was for something, as the engagement was initially planned for last Thursday.
The happy news would have come on American Thanksgiving at 11 am, but Kensington Palace got “spooked” by the speculation and postponed.
According to sources, The Sunday Express reveals that Downing Street was prepped and at the ready so Prime Minister Theresa May could send her wishes to the loved-up couple.
They also disclose that Prince Harry now has a Personal Protection Officer (PPO) with Meghan as the announcement will come any day.
Excitement went into overdrive when the London Evening Standard reported: “the BBC is primed for a royal announcement.”
Since the news emerged that Prince Harry had whisked Meghan away to Africa for a romantic holiday in August, speculation has been rife that an engagement would be imminent.
These rumours were strengthened after Meghan conducted an interview with Vanity Fair in September, where she spoke publicly for the first time about her relationship with the fifth-in-line to the throne.
The American-born actress recently departed the US TV drama, Suits, as she and her dogs are reportedly in the process of moving to London.
The Succession to the Crown Act 2013 states that up to the sixth-in-line to the throne must have The Queen’s permission. Even if Harry waited until after the Duke and Duchess’s third child to be born in April 2018, Harry would still need approval as he would only fall from fifth to sixth.
As well, when Harry does ask permission, The Queen could veto the whole idea if she feels the match would “diminish the status of the royal house.”
Then, a venue will be chosen after The Queen’s diary is consulted to make sure the wedding date doesn’t fall in a time where she has a prior commitment. They could marry at Westminster Abbey (the same church as William and Kate) as the General Synod Ruling of 2002 now allows divorced people to marry in the Church of England. Harry could take after his father, who when he married the divorced Camilla Parker-Bowles, chose the low-key Windsor Guildhall.
However, the more likely choice will be St Paul’s Cathedral, the same location his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales wed Prince Charles. A fitting way to incorporate his mother who can only be there with him in spirit.
Lastly, before the wedding, new titles will be chosen for the couple. There are a few Dukedoms free right now, but the likely choice will the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
With Prince William in Finland on the 29-30 and this news breaking, a likely guess is that Kensington Palace can’t hold off any longer and the announcement will come on Monday or Tuesday. The engagement wouldn’t want to overshadow Prince William’s trip and distract the media who have travelled with him. Although, just like everything else, this is just speculation.
When do you guess the engagement will be announced? Let us know in the comments:
Additional reporting by Charlie Proctor
Are they really going to marry? I thought he wanted kids and I believe Ms Markle is 36, so that might be a lot of pressure. Then I read she is doing another season of “Suits”. So much gossip, who knows what’s really happening?
If the engagement was supposed to have been announced this past Thursday, wouldn’t Harry have needed his grandmother’s permission to marry already?
Hmmm…slightly disappointing.
“A fitting way to incorporate his mother who can only be there with him in spirit” – I have now read it all! And, once again, this is not a state wedding, this is only the soon-to-be sixth in line getting married. Although reading this article it seems the Queen may not have already given permission and that’s causing the bottleneck on the announcement! Does no one at Royal Central read and edit these articles before hitting publish?
Don’t you love how they always find a way to link Diana into this mess?
Every single article!! There is ALWAYS some “Diana connection “.
Uggh!
How perplexing. I wonder what the connection could possibly be. Such a mystery.
Have to include her; she was the one with all the style, glamour and grace. Otherwise, it’s simply two well-connected individuals hooking up.
So much hype over nothing..
Honestly, do you really think they will close down Parliament because they got ENGAGED?.
Furthermore, here in the US, we don’t give her a second thought.
She was not even worthy or interesting to do the Talk Show Circuts before she started fuc…. Ummm, dating Scarry.
Old AND boring.
What a KLASSY comment. You really appear to be directly from the sewer.
And yet, she still gives the impression of being 20ft above you.
And yet, she still gives the impression of being on a much higher gradient than you. What a puzzle!
Sadly, yes, I do think Parliament may close for the duration. This wedding needs all the hype it can acquire. Expect all the stops to be pulled out for the union.
It is very peculiar that you consider it “hype” and “nothing”, yet you cannot seem to stop your embarrassingly childish comments.
Ask the person who has your head in a vice, forcing you to read unwelcome comments, to desist. Easy.
Yes, I’m absolutely underwhelmed. Break out the ‘Bolly’!
Yes, he apparently used two stones from the tiara for the ring.
I’m sick to my stomach. They just had to ruin a invaluable piece of jewelry.
It was Diana’s – highly doubtful they give a toss. Camilla has aquired much of the jewellery Diana was gifted from the various Heads of State, and items Charles gave her in the early days.
If you get a second.. Go to CHARLES ANNOUNCED HARRY’S ENGAGEMENT article.
Your “buddy ” is back… Calling you out by name..