Revealed: The VERY romantic ways the Royals have proposed - from Prince William getting down on one knee in Kenya to Mike Tindall proposing in front of the TV... and a Queen proposing to her cousin in 'the closet'
It's time to wipe the sweat from your clammy hands, clear your throat and get down on one knee because today is National Proposal Day.
Celebrated on March 20 during the vernal equinox - when there are nearly equal periods of daylight and darkness worldwide - National Proposal Day gives lovers a chance to pop the all-important question, 'Will you marry me?'
And if you are struggling for ideas on how to make the moment romantic, perhaps you should take a leaf out of the royal book on love.
When someone in the Royal Family gets engaged, there is worldwide attention - so the pressure is on to get the proposal right.
Prince William, for example, got down on one knee while he and Kate Middleton were in a secluded cabin overlooking a lake in Kenya - the epitome of romance.
After his brother set the bar high, Prince Harry placed electric candles on a picnic blanket to propose to Meghan Markle in the grounds of Kensington Palace.
And former rugby player Mike Tindall asked Zara Phillips to marry him... while she was watching television on the sofa.
Here, Mail Online looks back at the times the royals have popped the question - whether the occasion was romantic or just a little underwhelming.
Prince William married his bride Kate Middleton on April 29, 2011, after only a six-month engagement
The couple were in a secluded cabin overlooking a lake in Kenya when the prince got down on one knee
Prince William and Kate Middleton
The Prince and Princess of Wales are often held up as an example of a fairytale romance - and their proposal was just as dreamy.
William proposed to Kate, his girlfriend of eight years, while they were on holiday with friends in Kenya in October 2010. Their engagement was announced three weeks later on November 16, 2010.
Speaking to ITV's Tom Bradby in their now famous engagement interview, William said: 'It was about three weeks ago while on holiday in Kenya, we had a little private time away together with some friends and I just decided that it was the right time really.
'We've been talking about marriage for a while so it wasn't a massively big surprise, but I took her somewhere nice and proposed - it was very romantic.'
The Prince went on to say he had been planning to propose 'for a while' and had been carrying around his mother's famous sapphire engagement ring in his backpack for three weeks beforehand.
The oval 12-carat Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by a cluster of 14 solitaire diamonds set in white gold, was created for Diana by Garrard, then Crown jewellers, at a cost of £28,500 in 1981.
Speaking about why he had chosen that ring to give to his betrothed, William said: 'It's my mother's engagement ring, and it's very special to me, as Kate is very special to me now as well. It was only right the two were put together.
'It was my way of making sure Mother didn't miss out on today and the excitement and the fact that we're going to spend the rest of our lives together.'
William and Kate's engagement was announced on November 16, 2010. The prince proposed with his mother's famous sapphire engagement ring
The oval 12-carat Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by a cluster of 14 solitaire diamonds set in white gold, was created for Diana by Garrard, then Crown jewellers at a cost of £28,500 in 1981
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry's proposal to Meghan Markle was perhaps more low key than William's. The pair had just been together a year-and-a-half before the prince asked the American TV star to be his wife, on November 4, 2017.
In the couple's engagement interview with the BBC's Mishal Hussain, Harry told of how he popped the question: 'It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage; just a standard typical night for us.'
Meghan disclosed they were having a 'cosy night in' at Nottingham Cottage on the Kensington Palace estate, 'trying to roast a chicken'.
In an adorable clip from the couple's Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, the former actress is heard calling Jessica Mulroney, her best friend at the time, and excitedly whispering: 'Oh my God Jess. It's happening. He told me not to peek.'
Harry went in to even more detail about the 'cold night' he 'surprised Meghan' by setting 'electric candles' around a picnic blanket in the garden in his bombshell memoir Spare.
'I knelt on the blanket, Guy [Meghan's rescue beagle] at my side.' he wrote. 'Both of us looked up searchingly at Meg. My eyes already full of tears, I brought the ring out of my pocket and said my piece.
'I was shivering, and my heart was audibly thumping, and my voice was unsteady, but she got the idea. Spend your life with me? Make me the happiest guy on this planet?"'
Harry wanted the proposal setup to 'look like Botswana' as a nod to the couple's first holiday together. With an eye for detail, the prince had designed the engagement ring to feature a cushion-cut diamond from Botswana and two smaller round diamonds from Princess Diana's personal jewellery collection.
When Prince Harry proposed to Meghan Markle in 2017, he designed the ring to feature a cushion-cut diamond sourced from Botswana, where they spent their first holiday together
The prince designed the engagement ring to feature two smaller round diamonds from Princess Diana's personal jewellery collection
Mike Tindall and Zara Phillips
Zara and Mike Tindall are known for stepping away from royal convention - and their proposal was no different.
Although the former England rugby captain was used to facing the All Blacks and standing strong during their haka, Mike revealed he was a bundle of nerves before proposing to Zara Phillips.
'I was upstairs, plucking up the nerve to do it,' he told the Daily Mail. 'Zara was downstairs watching television.
'It was all about shock value - I wanted to catch her when it was quiet and she wasn't expecting anything.'
The couple had been relaxing at home in their Regency town house in Cheltenham on December 21, 2010, when Mike popped the question.
The sportsman added: 'I walked in there and got down on one knee, with the ring. She was on the sofa, so that made it easier. I said, "Will you marry me?"
'She started laughing. She was completely in shock. Then, when she stopped laughing, she said, "Yes." That was a relief.'
The pair later shared a photo outside their snow-covered home to announce their engagement. Zara was proudly wearing her dazzling engagement ring, featuring a split platinum band adorned with pavé diamonds and estimated to be worth £140,000.
Mike Tindall proposed to Zara Phillips in 2010 while she was watching TV at their townhouse in Cheltenham
Zara shows off the sophisticated engagement ring, featuring a split platinum band adorned with pavé diamonds
Jack Brooksbank and Princess Eugenie
Jack Brooksbank's proposal to Princess Eugenie was one of the most spectacular.
The couple were watching the sunset over a volcano in Nicaragua on January 1, 2018, when Jack popped the question with the help of an engagement ring with a rare padparadscha sapphire
The couple later told BBC's the One Show that they had been looking over the lake as the 'sun was setting' and 'birds were flying' before he got down on one knee.
Princess Eugenie said at the time: 'The lake was so beautiful. The light was just a special light I had never seen. I actually said this is an incredible moment, and then he popped the question, which was really surprising, even though we have been together seven years.
'I was over the moon. [It was a] complete surprise. But it was the perfect moment, we couldn't be happier.
'Granny actually knew right at the beginning [of the engagement]. We left her this weekend and had a lovely time, and she was very happy, as was my grandfather.'
During the same interview, Jack revealed he chose the padparadscha sapphire ring because it reminded him of Eugenie, saying: 'It changes colour when it hits certain light, much like Eugenie'.
Princess Eugenie's engagement ring features a rare padparadscha sapphire, presented to her during a proposal in Nicaragua
Jack revealed he chose the ring because it reminded him of Eugenie, saying: 'It changes colour when it hits certain light, much like Eugenie'
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Princess Beatrice
Multimillionaire business mogul Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi proposed to Princess Beatrice while standing on a terrace with views of the Amalfi coast, in September 2019.
The couple, who had known each other since childhood but only been together romantically for 11 months at the point of their engagement, made the announcement on Instagram accompanied by a photo taken by her sister Princess Eugenie.
The post read: 'We are extremely happy to be able to share the news of our recent engagement.
'We are both so excited to be embarking on this life adventure together and can't wait to actually be married.
'We share so many similar interests and values, and we know that this will stand us in great stead for the years ahead, full of love and happiness.'
In the photo Beatrice wore her £100,000, 3.5 carat diamond engagement ring along with a £2,730 Cartier love bracelet.
The couple had been staying at the £3,000-a-night Le Sirenuse Hotel in Positano, Italy, the same accommodation Meghan Markle stayed in on her girls trip a few months before she met prince Harry.
An insider at the hotel said at the time: 'Mr Mozzi proposed on the terrace at the bar next to the swimming pool. It was in the evening as the sun went down. We have the most amazing sunsets. It was very romantic.'
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi proposed to Princess Beatrice while standing on a hotel terrace with views of the Amalfi coast in September 2019
Princess Beatrice made the announcement on Instagram accompanied by a photo taken by her sister Princess Eugenie
King Charles and Princess Diana
Just six months after Prince Charles and Diana started seeing each other, there was a proposal - although it was said to be brief and seemingly less romantic than others.
Charles, then 32, proposed to 19-year-old Diana in the nursery at Windsor Castle on February 3, 1981. The engagement was then announced publicly on February 24.
Andrew Morton in his book Diana: Her True Story - In Her Own Words, suggested that Charles didn't even get down on one knee. Describing the proposal, he claims Diana thought it was a joke when he asked her simply to marry him.
'The prince was deadly serious, emphasising the earnestness of his proposal by reminding her that one day she would be queen.'
'While a small voice inside her head told her that she would never become queen but would have a tough life, she found herself accepting his offer and telling him repeatedly how much she loved him. "Whatever love means," he replied.'
Designed by the London luxury jeweller Garrard, the ring showcases a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by 14 solitaire diamonds. Its design was inspired by Queen Victoria's sapphire brooch, which she wore as her 'something blue' when marrying Prince Albert in 1840.
Breaking royal tradition, the ring was not a custom-made piece but rather available from a catalogue, meaning others could purchase the same design.
Diana and Charles reportedly selected the ring together from a selection of options, as its colour complemented her blue eyes.
Charles, then 32, proposed to 19-year-old Diana in the nursery at Windsor Castle on February 3, 1981. The engagement was then announced publicly on February 24
Princess Diana's engagement ring was purchased for £28,000 by Charles in 1981 and is now valued at upwards of £300,000
Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson
Although Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, lovingly known as Fergie, first met at the age of three on the sidelines of a polo field, it was Princess Diana who reintroduced the pair later in the 1980s.
After a whirlwind romance, Prince Andrew proposed to Fergie on his 26th birthday on February 19, 1986.
He dropped down on one knee at Floors Castle in Scotland - the place where the pair reportedly shared their first kiss.
Roughly one month later, they announced their engagement to the public and had a photo session at Buckingham Palace to mark the occasion.
Fergie's engagement ring was a sight to behold, as Prince Andrew helped design the oval-cut Burmese ruby surrounded by ten diamonds on a yellow gold band.
Later he described the ring as 'unconventional' adding: 'We came to the mutual conclusion that red was probably the best colour for Sarah.
'The extra bits around the outside, we wanted something that was slightly unconventional.'
Although the couple divorced in 1996, Fergie was seen wearing the glittering engagement ring well into the 2000s.
Prince Andrew reportedly chose a fiery Burmese ruby for Sarah Ferguson's engagement ring as it reminded him of his fiancée's red hair
Fergie's engagement ring was a sight to behold, as Prince Andrew helped design the oval-cut Burmese ruby surrounded by ten diamonds on a yellow gold band
Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones
Speculation mounted for some time over when Prince Edward would finally propose to his girlfriend of five years, Sophie Rhys-Jones.
But during a winter break in the Bahamas in 1998, he popped the question.
Edward later said he 'managed to take her completely by surprise, she had no idea it was coming'.
Sophie said she was 'slightly stunned' when he asked the question, before suddenly realising she needed to give him her answer.
Speaking to reporters about their engagement a few weeks later on January 6, 1999, at St James' Palace, Prince Edward said: 'It's impossible to understand why it has taken me this long, but I don't think it would have been right before and I don't think she would have said yes.'
When asked what makes them get along so well, Sophie said: 'I think we share a number of interests, we laugh a lot and we have a great friendship.'
To which Edward later added: 'We are the very best of friends and that's essential, but it also helps that we also love each other very much.'
Prince Edward proposed with a three-diamond ring from royal jeweller Garrard.
During a winter holiday to the Bahamas in 1998, Prince Edward finally proposed to his girlfriend of five years Sophie Rhys-Jones
Prince Edward proposed with a three-diamond ring from royal jeweller Garrard
Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II
After a month-long holiday at Balmoral with the Royal Family in the summer of 1946, one of the late Queen's favourite places, Prince Philip got down on one knee.
But King George VI had a few conditions before he could grant the 26-year-old Navy officer permission to marry his then 20-year-old daughter.
Firstly, Philip, who was born in Greece to Greek and Danish royal families, had to become a naturalised British citizen, and Princess Elizabeth had to wait until she turned 21 before announcing the news to the nation.
As promised, the pair kept their engagement a secret until the following year, and formally announced it on July 9, 1947 (a few short months after Elizabeth's birthday)
Diamonds that could be traced back to the Romanovs and once belonged to Philip's mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, were used in the engagement ring and for a wedding bracelet for his future wife.
In a letter to his bride-to-be, Phillip expressed his joy at the thought of marrying her.
'I am sure I do not deserve all the good things which have happened to me,' he wrote. 'To have been spared in the war and seen victory… to have fallen in love completely and unreservedly, makes all one’s personal and even the world’s troubles seem small and petty.'
The pair were married on November 20, 1947 and remained together for a remarkable 73 years.
Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten's engagement was announced on July 9, 1947
The pair were married on November 20, 1947 and stayed together for a remarkable 73 years
The Queen attends the Windsor Horse Show in 2007 wearing her engagement ring
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
Victoria first met her German cousin Prince Albert in 1836, when he and his brother Ernest visited Kensington Palace with their uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians.
Their families had arranged their union since the pair were very young, and when the couple met again in 1839, Victoria, now the Queen, decided she was ready to marry the prince.
As protocol demanded, Victoria proposed to Albert on October 15, 1839 - just five days after he arrived at Windsor on a visit to the British court.
Asking for Albert to meet her alone in the Blue Closet (a room with two single beds so called as all the furnishings are shades of the royal colour), Queen Victoria experienced the 'happiest brightest moment' in her life when she told him that it would 'make me too happy if he would to consent to what I wished'.
The Queen wrote in her diary: 'Oh how I adore and love him, I cannot say!'
The couple exchanged rings which were engraved with the date of their engagement. The ring gifted to Victoria by Albert featured a coiled snake set with emerald (her birthstone), ruby and diamond accents.
During the Roman times, a snake was seen as a symbol of eternal and everlasting love.
Their wedding took place a few months later, on February 10, 1840. Victoria travelled to St James's Palace in an open carriage so the crowds could admire her. She wore a simple white satin dress with an orange blossom wreath in her hair.
Queen Victoria photographed with Prince Albert in 1854. The couple were deeply in love and had nine children
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert with five of their nine children, 1846
The ring (pictured on the second finger) featured a coiled snake set with emerald (Victoria's birthstone), ruby and diamond accents
The newlyweds embarked on a short honeymoon which Victoria raved about her in diary, writing: 'My dearest Albert put on my stockings for me. I went in and saw him shave; a great delight for me'.
In the final days of his life, Albert was nursed in The Blue Closet - the same room he was proposed to years prior. He died there on the night of December 14, 1861, aged only 42.
Queen Victoria was devastated. At a Privy Council meeting three weeks after his death she could not utter a word.
She wrote to her Uncle Leopold: 'The poor fatherless baby of eight months is now the utterly broken-hearted and crushed widow of forty-two! My life as a happy one is ended! The world is gone for me!'
Following his death, Victoria wore black for the rest of her life and maintained The Blue Closet as a living shrine to Prince Albert's memory.
A bust of Prince Albert was placed between the two beds, fresh flowers were consistently displayed in the room, new clothes laid out everyday and hot water added to the washstand.
Now, it is sometimes referred to as The Albert Room.
