Samuel Chatto is engaged after Buckingham Palace confirmed Princess Margaret’s grandson will marry Eleanor Ekserdjian next spring.
As reported by PEOPLE, the couple also shared it in a joint Instagram post with black-and-white photos.
Sam wrote: “I’m really delighted to say that Ellie and I are engaged. And we couldn’t be happier.”
The 29-year-old ceramicist made the proposal especially personal. He used a porcelain ring he made himself.
One photo showed the ring on Eleanor’s hand. Another showed the couple smiling in what appeared to be a photo booth.
Samuel Chatto engaged
This royal engagement did not lean on palace pomp. The handmade ring gave the moment a more intimate feel.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the engagement on Monday, July 13. A spokesperson said both families were “delighted” by the news.
The palace also shared King Charles’ reaction. He is “very happy for them both”.
The wedding will take place next spring. That gives the royal family another major celebration to anticipate.
Why this match already had royal watchers talking
According to PEOPLE, Sam and Eleanor have dated since 2021. They met while studying at the University of Edinburgh.
Both work as artists and live together in London. Their shared creative life makes the handmade proposal feel especially fitting.
Engagement speculation had already started to build. The pair attended the royal family’s Christmas Day church service in 2024.
That invitation often sparks attention. Many see it as a sign of a serious relationship.
The announcement also drew interest because of Sam’s place in the royal family. He is the son of Lady Sarah Chatto, Princess Margaret’s daughter, and Daniel Chatto.
His mother works as a painter. His father works as an actor.
Eleanor also comes from an artistic family. PEOPLE, citing The Independent, said her father, Professor David Ekserdjian, teaches art history at the University of Leicester.
Her mother, Susan Moore, works as an art critic at the Financial Times. Their backgrounds show a clear creative overlap.
Although Sam is 30th in line to the throne, he does not carry out royal duties. He still appears at some major family events.
Lady Sarah Chatto is the only daughter of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon.
She is the cousin of King Charles III.
Lady Sarah is known as a painter and has long maintained a lower public profile than working members of the royal family.
She and her husband Daniel Chatto have two sons, Samuel and Arthur.
Those events include Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral, King Charles’ coronation, and the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Most recently, Sam and Eleanor attended the wedding of Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling. That ceremony took place at All Saints Church in Kemble, Cirencester, on June 6.
Congratulations quickly followed the announcement. Flora Vesterberg, granddaughter of Princess Alexandra, the Hon Lady Ogilvy, commented: “Very happy for both of you.”
With Samuel Chatto engaged and a spring wedding ahead, the royal calendar now has another personal milestone on it.