Metallica's James Hetfield pops the question to Adriana Gillett underwater
The Metallica frontman was previously married to Francesca Hatfield for 25 years before divorcing in 2022
March 16, 2026
Metallica James Hetfield is taking the plunge into the next chapter of his life.
On Sunday, March 15, the heavy metal band announced that their beloved frontman is engaged to Adriana Gillett after popping the question during a creative underwater proposal.
Wearing full scuba gear, Hetfield held up a handwritten sign that read, “Adriana Gillett will you marry me?” In the image, Gillett is seen holding a ring box while giving a thumbs-up to the camera, confirming her answer.
“She said yes!” Metallica captioned the post.
Gillett also celebrated the milestone on her own Instagram page, sharing the same underwater snapshot along with a photo of a whale shark from the couple’s adventure.
“The BEST birthday trip surprise… Swimming with whale sharks on Friday the 13th… with the most unique, special, and romantic proposal a Pisces could ever imagine,” she wrote. “In a sea full of fish, we caught each other... Thank you God for putting us together...”
The engagement marks a new chapter for Hetfield following his 2022 divorce from Francesca Hatfield after 25 years of marriage. He and Gillett reportedly began dating in 2023.
Meanwhile, Metallica will soon resume their M72 world tour, kicking off the next leg May 9 at the Olympic Stadium in Athens before continuing across Europe and later launching a 24-show residency at Sphere in Las Vegas this October.
