Prince Harry, Meghan Markle To Wed In May
LONDON (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Prince Harry will marry American actress Meghan Markle in May at Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel, Kensington Palace announced Tuesday.
The queen will attend the wedding, which will be paid for by the royal family.
The precise date of the wedding and other details will be released "in due course," the palace said.
Harry and Markle announced their engagement publicly Monday. They had been dating for about a year and a half.
Markle will become a British citizen and also be baptized in the Church of England.
Harry is fifth in line to the throne.
The couple made a brief appearance before photographers on the grounds of Kensington Palace hours after their engagement was announced.
Harry, wearing a blue suit and tie, said he was "thrilled" and that details about his proposal would come out later. He was then asked if the proposal was romantic, and he replied: "Of course!"
Markle, who said she was "so happy," was wearing an engagement ring for the first time in public. She held Harry's hand and rubbed his arm.
They left with their arms around each other. The couple gave their first interview later in the day.
"Just an amazing surprise that was so sweet and natural and very romantic," Markle said. "He got on one knee."
Gushing as any woman does over her engagement story, Markle was visibly giddy recounting the moment she said yes to Prince Harry.
She said it was an instant yes.
"Yes, in fact, I could barely let him finish proposing. Can I say yes now?" Markle said.
"She didn't even let me finish," Prince Harry said.
As CBS2's Valerie Castro reported, the ring is a stunner with three diamonds – the smaller stones belonged to the late Princess Diana. The center stone was handpicked from the prince from Botswana, a place the couple often visits.
When asked what his mother's reaction to Markle would have been, Prince Harry said: "I think they would have been thick as thieves, without question. I think she would be over the moon -- jumping up and down so excited for me."
Markle, 36, has met Queen Elizabeth II, and Harry also has received the blessing of Markle's parents.
Prince Harry, 33, informed his grandmother Queen Elizabeth about the engagement weeks ago.
Harry's brother, Prince William, and his pregnant wife Kate welcomed Markle to the royal family.
"We are very excited for Harry and Meghan," they said in a statement. "It has been wonderful getting to know Meghan and to see how happy she and Harry are together."
Congratulations also came in from the queen and her husband, Prince Philip, and from Prime Minister Theresa May.
The couple plans to live in Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
