King Charles' great-nephew Samuel Chatto announces engagement

Samuel Chatto, the son of Lady Sarah Chatto and great-nephew of King Charles III, has announced his engagement to longtime partner Eleanor Ekserdjian.

The couple, both 29, revealed they are set to marry next spring, with the King reportedly informed of the happy news and said to be delighted for the pair. 

Their families are also celebrating the milestone, including Samuel's parents, Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto, and Eleanor's parents, Professor David Ekserdjian and Susan Moore.

Sharing the announcement on Instagram, Samuel gave the engagement a deeply personal touch by revealing that he proposed with a handcrafted porcelain ring he made himself.

"I'm really delighted to say that Ellie and I are engaged. And we couldn't be happier," he wrote, alongside a series of photographs, including a romantic black-and-white portrait of the couple and a close-up of the bespoke ring.

The unique piece reflected Samuel's passion for ceramics, making the proposal all the more meaningful. 

Eleanor also shared joyful photos of the couple, proudly showing off the one-of-a-kind ring created by her fiancé.

The engagement comes after years of speculation about the couple's future. 

In December 2024, Eleanor joined Samuel and members of the royal family for the traditional Christmas Day church service at Sandringham that immediately sparked rumours that an engagement could be on the horizon.

At the time, royal watchers noted that partners are rarely invited to the festive gathering unless a relationship is considered especially serious, they made comparisons to Meghan Markle's attendance at Sandringham in 2017 before her marriage to Prince Harry.