From Queen Elizabeth to Princess Eugenie: How the royals announced their engagements

What comes before a fairytale royal wedding? A romantic engagement announcement! Just ask Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who have confirmed their plans to marry in Spring 2018. Click through our gallery to take a look back at how couples like Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their wedding plans to the world.PRINCESS EUGENIE  AND JACK BROOKSBANKUnlike her cousin Prince Harry, Princess Eugenie didn't have a live photo call when she announced her engagement to Jack Brooksbank. Instead, official photographs of Princess Eugenie and her fiancé, taken by photographer Jonathan Brady, were released by Buckingham Palace after Eugenie's parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah, the Duchess of York confirmed the wedding plans in a statement which read: "The Duke and Duchess of York are delighted to announce the engagement of Princess Eugenie to Mr Jack Brooksbank. Her Royal Highness and Mr Jack Brooksbank became engaged in Nicaragua earlier this month. The wedding will take place in the autumn of 2018 at St George's Chapel in Windsor, with further details to be announced in due course." Princess Eugenie later spoke about their engagement on Britiain's The One Show. "The lake was so beautiful, it was a special light and I even said 'This is an incredible moment' – and then he popped the question, which was really surprising even though we had been together seven years. It was the perfect moment." She added: "I was over the moon, crying." In February, the pair confirmed their wedding date as October 12, 2018.Photos: Getty Images

LOUIS DUCRUET AND MARIE CHEVALLIERThoroughly modern couple Louis Ducruet of Monaco – son of Princess Stéphanie – and his college sweetheart had a dreamy beach engagement. Stéphanie, the daughter of Princess Grace, announced with “joy” in February 2018 that her son would marry in a brief statement issued by the Prince’s Palace.The bride-to-be took to Instagram to share her own excitement, posting the beach photo and writing: "Proud to announce that, I said YES to the love of my life ❤ @louisducruet I love you so so so much".Photo: Getty Images/Instagram/@mariehoachevallier

 ZARA PHILLIPS AND MIKE TINDALLTrue to form, Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Zara Phillips and boyfriend Mike Tindall kept their engagement announcement low key, as they revealed the happy news wearing jeans and sweatshirts. Talking about the engagement, rugby player Mike said, "I am delighted that Zara has agreed to marry me. We are both very excited about the next stage of our lives together." Photo: Getty Images

PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLEPrince Harry and Meghan Markle couldn't hide their delight as they posed for their engagement photos in November 2017. Just a few short hours after their betrothal was announced, the couple appeared in front of waiting press in the Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace. The ring Prince Harry gave her is a trilogy ring featuring stones specially selected by the Prince; the central diamond is from Botswana, where the couple vacationed together, and the other two diamonds are from his late mother Princess Diana's personal collection. The band is made of gold and the ring was made by Cleave and Company, Court Jewellers and Medalists to Her Majesty The Queen.Photos: Getty Images

PRINCE CARL PHILIP AND PRINCESS SOFIA OF SWEDENPrince Carl Philip of Sweden, the only son of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, announced his engagement to Sofia Hellqvist in June 2014.Bride-to-be Sofia turned heads in a scarlet dress when she arrived at Drottningholm Palace, walking hand-in-hand with Carl Philip as they headed to a press conference in the Palace's garden where they shared their first public kiss. "I have the incredible honor of being engaged to this fantastic girl," an excited Carl Philip told the waiting journalists.Photo: Getty Images

KING FELIPE AND QUEEN LETIZIA OF SPAIN Inside the lavish El Pardo royal palace in Madrid on November 6, 2003, the then Prince Felipe of Spain announced that he was set to marry TV newscaster Letizia Ortiz. The couple were joined by their families as they made the happy announcement. Speaking about her husband-to-be, Letizia said that she was excited to marry her fiancé, who she called "an exceptional human being." Photo: Getty Images

PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON After five years of dating, Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton announced the news we'd all been waiting for, they were engaged to be married. Making the announcement at Clarence House, the second-in-line to the British throne revealed that he proposed with his mother's sapphire and diamond ring while the couple were on holiday together in Kenya. Photo: Getty Images

CROWN PRINCE FREDRIK AND CROWN PRINCESS MARY OF DENMARKThe daughter of a math professor and a university secretary, Australia-born Mary Donaldson would become Crown Princess Mary not long after this momentous day, when her love Prince Frederik of Denmark revealed they were set to wed. On October 8, 2003, the couple appeared together for the big announcement, and the bride to be showed off her ruby and diamond engagement ring. Photo: Getty Images

KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER AND QUEEN MAXIMA OF THE NETHERLANDSOn March 30, 2001, the then-Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands announced that he was set to marry Argentina-born Maxima Zorreguieta. The couple, alongside Willem-Alexander's parents Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus, revealed the happy news during a live broadcast for television and radio. Giving a short speech Queen Beatrix said that her and her husband were delighted for the couple and that they "rejoice in their happiness." Photo: Getty Images

QUEEN ELIZABETH AND PRINCE PHILIPBefore the days of televised engagement announcements, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip revealed that they had gotten engaged in July 1947, with an official announcement that took place in Buckingham Palace. Four months later, the couple got married in London's Westminster Abbey. Photo: Getty Images

CROWN PRINCESS VICTORIA AND PRINCE DANIEL OF SWEDENOn February 24, 2009, future queen Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden announced her engagement to her personal trainer Daniel Westling at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. Following official protocol, Daniel asked King Carl XVI Gustaf for his daughter's hand in marriage, the decision then had to be agreed upon by the Swedish government. Luckily they said yes!Photo: Getty Images

CROWN PRINCE HAAKON AND CROWN PRINCESS METTE-MARIT OF NORWAYOn December 1, 2000, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his girlfriend, single mom Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, announced that they were engaged to be married. The pair made the official announcement and posed for a joint photoshoot in Oslo's Royal Palace. The couple wed eight months later in a stunning ceremony held in Oslo cathedral. Photo: Getty Images

PRINCE NIKOLAOS AND PRINCESS TATIANA OF GREECEThrilled to be welcoming a daughter-in-law into the family, HM King Constantine, former King of Greece, was happy to announce the engagement of his son Prince Nikolaos and his girlfriend Tatiana Blatnik on December 28, 2009. In an official statement released by the royal he said, "HM Queen Anne-Marie and I are delighted to announce the engagement of our son Nikolaos to Tatiana Blatnik.” Photo: Getty Images

SARAH FERGUSON  AND PRINCE ANDREWAfter a whirlwind romance Andrew proposed to his former love. The couple announced their engagement in March of 1986. They were married at Westminster Abbey on 23 July 1986, and welcomed daughter Beatrice in August 1988, followed by Eugenie in March 1990.Photo: Getty Images

SOPHIE RHYS-JONES AND PRINCE EDWARDPrince Edward planted a sweet kiss on his love Sophie after getting engaged in January of 1999. The wedding of Queen Elizabeth's youngest son and public relations consultant Sophie Rhys-Jones, who would become Sophie, Countess of Wessex took place on an idyllic day. The happily married couple went on to become parents to two children: James, Viscount Severn, born in 2007, and Lady Louise Windsor, born in 2003.Photo: Getty Images