Prince Harry Is Engaged to Meghan Markle

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are headed down the aisle.

The prince, 33, and the Suits actress, 36, are engaged, Clarence House announced in a statement Monday morning.

“His Royal Highness and Ms. Markle became engaged in London earlier this month. Prince Harry has informed Her Majesty The Queen and other close members of his family,” the statement read in part. “Prince Harry has also sought and received the blessing of Ms. Markle’s parents.”

The couple, who have been publicly dating since October 2016, will be married in spring 2018, the royal residence confirmed.

Markle’s parents also issued a statement about their daughter’s engagement to the Royal, who is fifth in line to the throne.

“We are incredible happy for Meghan and Harry. Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person,” Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland said. “To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for us as parents.”

“We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future together,” they added.

Prince William and Kate Middleton also offered their well-wishes to the couple in a statement: “We are very excited for Harry and Meghan. It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together.”

The couple will live in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace once they are married, but the high-profile couple is no stranger to long distance either. While Harry has lived in London throughout their relationship, Markle has spent most of her time in her native home of Los Angeles or in Toronto, where she films Suits. The seventh season of the USA drama will reportedly be Markle’s last.

Markle clued fans in on the serious nature of her relationship to Prince Harry in September, telling Vanity Fair that despite criticism, “it’s really simple. We’re two people who are really happy and in love.”

It will be the second marriage for Markle, who was previously married to film producer Trevor Engleson.

To announce their engagement, Prince Harry and Markle will appear for a photo call and interview at Kensington Palace Monday afternoon, which will be broadcast in the UK this evening.

Photo Credit: Getty / Chris Jackson