Meghan Markle and Prince Harry could announce their engagement in December. Photos / Getty
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry could announce their engagement in December. Photos / Getty
By Martha Cliff
As their relationship heats up so do rumours of their engagement with the world eagerly anticipating the marriage of Prince Harry to girlfriend Meghan Markle.
And while some predicted that the royal might pop the question on Meghan's birthday at the beginning of August royal insiders predict that we could be looking at a Christmas proposal, according to the Daily Mail.
Former chef to Princess Diana and her two sons Darren McGrady anticipates that the couple will announce their marriage plans this December.
Speaking to Hello! Darren said: "I really do think they would have been engaged by now. But Princess Diana's 20th anniversary this month in August, they can't trump that.
"And then November is the Queen and Prince Philip's platinum wedding anniversary so they can't trump that either, whereas December they can announce the engagement and they'd be free to marry next year; I think that's what's going to happen."
McGrady, who describes the US actress as "naturally like Diana" added that if Harry does propose in December Meghan will be able to join the family at Sandringham for their traditional Christmas celebrations.
Harry and Meghan have been dating for over a year now, maintaining a long distant relationship between their two homes of London and Toronto.
Earlier this month Harry, 32, took the Suits actress on a safari to Botswana for her 36th birthday after she flew in from her Toronto home in Canada having filmed the last episode of Suits.
According to reports Meghan plans to move to the UK and give up much of her acting after being introduced to the prince by Soho House director Markus Anderson in London.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Photo / Rupert Hartley, REX, Shutterstock
Former US marine Kirstie Ennis, a close friend of Harry's, last month said a wedding was on the cards.
Kirstie, 26, whose leg was lost in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan and hopes to compete in the Paralympics, reportedly nodded after journalists asked her whether she'd be going to Harry's "upcoming wedding".
She said: "I don't think I'm worried about the wedding. I'm worried about the after-party."
The 1772 Royal Marriages Act, amended in 2013, means the Queen must consent to the weddings of the first six people in line to the Throne, with Prince Harry being fifth.
Meghan, who divorced film producer husband Trevor Engelson four years ago, will be permitted to marry in the Church of England's Westminster Abbey following the General Synod Ruling of 2002.
