A Royal Engagement

       


       The most anticipated wedding since the marriage of the late Princess Diana and Prince Charles 30 years ago is underway.  Britain's Prince William, who is second in line to the British throne, popped the question to the beautiful Kate Middleton, his long time girlfriend, during a vacation in Kenya last month.  William and Kate, both 28, have been dating since 2003.
       The couple first met 2002 when they were both students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland where William studied geography and Kate studied history of art.
      They briefly split in 2007 but the pair remained close and by July of that same year, Middleton sat in the royal box at Wembley Stadium in London for the Concert for Diana, a massive charity concert to remember Prince William's mother, Princess Diana, 10 years after her death in a car crash.  Soon by the end of the year the couple were dating again.
       What makes the engagement so special is Prince William gave Kate his mother's engagement ring, a huge, stunning sapphire surrounded by diamonds.  

       "It's my mother's engagement ring, so of course it's very special to me," Prince William explained, "and Kate's now very special to me, so it was only right to put the two together."
       The wedding will take place in London in either the spring or summer of 2011.  After the wedding the newlyweds will reside in north Wales where Prince William will continue to serve in the Royal Air Force. 

      When it came to the royal family's thoughts of the engagement, everyone was thrilled.
     
      Prince Charles, William's father said, "We're obviously thrilled."
      Michael and Carole Middleton, Kate's parents said, "They make a lovely couple, they're great fun to be with and we've had a lot of laughs together. We've got to know William really well. We all think he's wonderful and we're extremely fond of him."  
      William's grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, Prince Philip, are "absolutely delighted for them both," Buckingham Palace said.
      His brother Prince Harry said he was "delighted that my brother has popped the question! It means I get a sister, which I have always wanted."




References:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/16/kate.middleton.bio/index.html
http://www.cnn.com/search/?query=royal%20engagement&sortBy=date
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/11/19/middleton.royal.engagement.ring/index.html?iref=allsearch