Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are 'speaking about their marriage plans openly'

Can we hear wedding bells?

Words by Jadie Troy-Pryde

Rumours of a royal engagement between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been swirling for months. The couple are reportedly planning to move in together, and apparently the Queen has already given them her royal blessing. Meghan celebrated her 36th birthday in August, and Harry whisked her away on a romantic African safari - fuelling speculation that the pair were close to taking the next step.

The couple made their first public appearance together at the Invictus Games last month, and it seems that if the most recent reports are believed Harry and Meghan are already acting as if they're engaged.

A close source told E!: 'While Meghan may not be wearing a ring or a formal engagement announced, it's fair to say they're as good as engaged now.

'They've spoken about their marriage plans openly with each other, and friends and family around them are pretty much thinking about wedding attire already!'

While we all want to believe that there will be a royal wedding next year (hello, pubic holiday) it's unclear who this source is and if the couple are planning on getting engaged. Up until last month, they've been very private about their relationship, but a recent Meghan Markle interview saw the Suits actress deciding to open up about her royal boyfriend.

'I can tell you that at the end of the day, I think it's really simple. We're two people who are really happy and in love,' she told Vanity Fair.

According to a source close to Harry, the moment that they decided to step out together in public for the first time was completely spontaneous.

'The day Harry walked through the village to Wheelchair Tennis in front of the photographers [with Meghan] was pretty much spur of the moment,' they told E!.

'He was just in a great mood, and they kind of looked at each other before like, "Shall we just get this over with?"

'In a way they wish they didn't leave it for so long because after that initial moment was gone, it suddenly felt very easy to be out there as a couple with people looking at them, photos being taken, etc.'

Harry spent the weekend with Meghan and her mum, Doria, and is reportedly quite close to his potential mother-in-law.

'They actually met late last year so they're very close now,' another source told the publication.

'Doria sees Harry as one of the family and he sees her like family too. Harry has become close with all of Meghan's closest friends — Markus [Anderson], the Mulroneys [Jessica and Ben Mulroney], these are people who have welcomed him with warm and open arms and he's really felt the love and protection.'

Time to buy a hat?