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Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin Lady Marina Windsor announces surprise engagement to boyfriend of two years Nico Macauley
Lady Marina Windsor has announced her engagement to her boyfriend of two years, Nico Macauley.
The first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, 32, took to Instagram on Sunday to share the happy news through a series of snaps with her now-fiancé.
Lady Marina beamed beside Nico, 32, who is the great-grandson of William Berry, 1st Viscount Camrose.
She showed off her new silver engagement ring, which features a small, smooth square onyx gemstone at its centre, with detailing on either side.
Lady Marina proudly displayed the band in another snap of her at a dimly lit restaurant where she looked elegant in a white dress.
The philanthropic executive and her beau celebrated their engagement with a glass of champagne.
Lady Marina cut a casual figure in a yellow dress and leaned into her fiancé, who wore a navy jumper, as the pair toasted to their wedding.
"Very happy!" the third cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry wrote of becoming the future Mrs Macauley in the caption.
While royal family members congratulated the soon-to-be husband and wife, others were taken aback by their seemingly sudden engagement.
Lady Marina's younger sister, Lady Amelia Windsor, 29, expressed her joy, writing: "Yippeeee!"
Her aunt, Lady Helen Taylor, who is the daughter of Prince Edward and Katharine, Duchess of Kent, said she was the "happiest auntie".
"Happiest auntie in the whole world - love u so best best news," she wrote.
Lady Marina is seldom seen in public with Nico and was recently spotted at a charity event for Elephant Family, a not-for-profit dedicated to protecting the Asian elephant from extinction, in London without him.
The third cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry attended the star-studded charity bash alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla, Princess Beatrice, actor Ed Westwick and his wife, actress Amy Jackson, as well as Brazilian footballer Ronaldo Nazario and his wife, model Celina Locks.
Nevertheless, Nico routinely makes an appearance in loved snaps of the couple on Lady Marina's Instagram.
Last week, they were photographed embracing while sitting on a stone wall in Connemara, western Ireland, with two pints beside them.
In 2008, Lady Marina was 25th in line to the British throne when she was removed from the line of succession.
The news, which made headlines, came after the then 16-year-old was confirmed into the Roman Catholic Church.
According to the Act of Settlement 1701, this disqualified her.
In 2015, the succession to the Crown Act was changed to allow Catholics to marry into the royal family without losing their place in the line, though Lady Marina's position was not restored.
