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Prince William and Kate Middleton's engagement

It has to be the quintessential fairy tale; a middle class ordinary girl meets a handsome Prince while studying at the same University; after seven years of dating they break-up under the pressure of a royal courtship, only to realise they can’t live without each other; finally, three years later, they get engaged in a remote African village.

As you may have noticed, we’re suckers for a good ol’fashioned romance, and you can’t get better than a royal wedding filled with enough pomp and ceremony to last a decade.

So what did the happy couple have to say about their big announcement? Yesterday, at a press conference held in the Entrée Room at St James Palace, London the couple talked openly about their future and engagement.

Kate, 28, said of William’s proposal: “It was very romantic and very personal. Although they refused to say whether Wills got down on one knee or not, it is known he proposed on holiday in Kenya where William has close friends and is a very personal place for him.

Kate did say: “It was a total shock when it came, and very exciting.”

We take our hat off to Kate, it takes a brave woman to become a royal, especially following in the footsteps of William’s mother Princess Dianna.

Kate said: “It’s quite a daunting prospect but hopefully I’ll take it in my stride. And William’s a great teacher so hopefully he’ll be able to help me.”
 
And, even though Kate will wear Princess Diana’s 18 carat oval blue sapphire ring, which is surrounded by 14 small diamonds, there’s great hope this marriage will have a much happier ending than Prince Charles and Diana’s; they’ve certainly had enough practice after nearly 10 years of dating.

William, 28, said he wanted Kate to have his mother’s ring so his mother could be a part of their wedding.

He said: “Of course it’s very special to me and Kate’s very special to me now as well – and it’s only right the two are put together.

“It was my way of making sure my mother didn’t miss out on today and the excitement and the fact we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.”

The is the only keepsake William asked for after Diana’s death in 1997, he said he wanted to use the band for his own engagement one day.

Asked why William had taken so long to propose, he retorted: “I didn’t realise it was a race, otherwise I probably would have been a lot quicker.”

Wills brother Prince Harry gave his approval to the engagement, saying: “It means I get a sister, which I have always wanted.”

Prince Charles also said he was “thrilled,” adding that his son had had “a lot of practice.”

While Kate’s parents said: “They make a lovely couple, they are fun to be with, we have had a lot of laughs together. We wish them every happiness for the future. “

Proving they are like any other couple, Wills said: “We’re down to earth, we take the mickey out of each other a lot, and she’s got plenty of habits that make me laugh that I tease her about.”

It’s touching to know that such a high profile couple are no different to the rest of us, and it’s clear to see the couple are very much in love.

 We expect to see a lot more of Kate in the public eye, and we have no doubts she is going to fill the long vacant post of Royal fashion icon.

Although, the couple will be tucked away in rural Anglesey, North Wales where William is based for his work as a search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley.

The big questions are: What will her wedding dress be like? Where will they get married? Westminster Abbey or St Paul’s Cathedral? Who will be best man? Who will pay for the wedding? And, most importantly, will we get a bank holiday?? We’re planning on starting a campaign for this right way!

What do you think of this royal engagement?