Prince Harry and Meghan rumoured to announce engagement in December

Their recent holiday to Africa together came with a host of rumours that an engagement was on the cards, but so far Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are yet to publicly announce an impending wedding.

However, royal sources say we won’t have to wait long to buy a new hat; the couple will reportedly make the announcement this December.

Related: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle pictured at a wedding together

Former chef to Princess Diana Darren McGrady, who worked for Harry, William and Diana for four years until her tragic death in 1997, anticipates that a Christmas proposal could be on the cards, and that the couple have been waiting for the right moment to tell the world their plans. He told Hello! online:

"I really do think they would have been engaged by now.

“But with Princess Diana's 20th anniversary this month in August, they can't trump that. And then November is the Queen and Prince Philip's platinum wedding anniversary so they can't trump that either, whereas December they can announce the engagement and they'd be free to marry next year; I think that's what's going to happen.” 

Darren McGrady/Getty

He added that he believes that the Suits actress will spend the festive holidays in the UK with the royal family, saying: “Meghan can join the royals at Sandringham at Christmas because she'll be engaged and part of the fold."

Prince Harry and Meghan have officially been a couple for more than a year ago, maintaining their long-distance relationship by flying to each other’s homes in London and Toronto. They are yet to appear as a couple at an official event, but this is nothing unusual for the royal family; Kate Middleton wasn’t even heard to speak in public until her engagement to Prince William was announced.