When Rebecca Adlington met her husband Harry Needs he was utterly starstruck. Now, three months after their beautiful wedding ceremony, and the couple are expecting a honeymoon baby as they exclusively reveal in this week's HELLO! The relationship, which began when a mutual friend introduced the parents-to-be at the swimming centre they both used, has always been marked by ultra-romantic gestures. In this special HELLO! report we look back on the touching story between the two former athletes.
"We were introduced by my usher Tom Hatfield, who's a mutual friend," says Harry, who admits to having a poster of the two-time Olympic gold medallist on his wall as a teenager. "Tom asked Becky to say 'hi' to me when I joined her swimming club, so she did, which totally freaked me out because she was my idol so I was totally starstruck. "That was back in 2011, and since then Harry's adoration and unstinting support has seen Becky through many challenges including the 2012 London Olympics, where she won two bronzes and then through I'm a Celebrity.... the following year.
With the nation watching, the champion broke down in tears in the jungle and confessed that she had self-esteem issues because of not feeling like she had model looks. However, with the love of her "best friend" Becky's confidence has grown.
Harry says: "I compliment her every single day because to me she is the most beautiful woman in the world." His proposal was just as thoughtful. "I'd told him ages ago about how my grandad used to do treasure hunts for me as a child and how much I loved them," she said.
So she came home to find clues in the form of poems that ended in their candlelit living, where Harry was standing ready to pop the question, to a compilation of her favourite tunes.
Then, 18 months later, they married in front of friends at the Ashes, a stunning grade-II listed property in the Staffordshire countryside. Harry gave his bride a surprise on the morning of their wedding, enlisting his mother-in-law to deliver a stunning diamond infinity symbol ring and they said personalised vows in front of their emotional guests. Now they face a new adventure together. Read all the details about the pregnancy in this week's issue of HELLO! magazine out now.