Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have today announced they are engaged and will marry early next year. The Queen gave her grandson permission to marry the star just a week after she celebrated her own 70th wedding anniversary and Harry also asked Meghan's parents Thomas Markle and Doria Ragland for her hand in marriage.

Axar.az informs citing Daily Mail that the couple, who revealed they were an item a year ago after a six-month secret relationship, got engaged earlier this month in London and will marry in spring 2018, Kensington Palace said.

They will appear on national TV in the UK this evening to discuss their engagement just 16 months after they got together.

Harry, 33, and his American fiancee, 36, have not said where they will hold the ceremony but if they choose the

UK most senior royals marry at Westminster Abbey, St Paul's Cathedral or the chapel at Windsor Castle.

They have chosen to state they are getting married just before they spend their first proper Christmas together.

Meghan, who is divorced, could become a princess or alternatively be given the title Duchess of Sussex when she marries the fifth in line to the throne and joins the royal family.

But they are likely to wait until Prince William and Kate have their third child, which is due in April.

A Kensington Palace spokesman tweeted today: 'The Prince of Wales has announced the engagement of Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle.

'Prince Harry and Ms Markle became engaged in London earlier this month. Prince Harry has informed The Queen and other close members of The Royal Family.

'Prince Harry has also sought and received the blessing of Ms Markle's parents. The couple will live in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace.

'The wedding will take place in spring 2018. Further details will be announced in due course.'

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said of the engagement: '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'.