- Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first joint appearance in the UK since Megxit at the Endeavour Fund Awards in London on Thursday.
- During the awards ceremony, a couple got engaged in front of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
- Harry and Markle clapped and grinned at the proposal, leaning together to celebrate the engagement.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories
On Thursday, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made their first joint appearance in the UK since deciding to step back from the royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the 2020 Endeavour Fund Awards, which honors military members who have been injured and recovered through sports, according to its website.
The awards ceremony turned out to be more emotional than the couple anticipated, with a surprise proposal changing the tone of the night.
The couple made a splash at the event
Markle and Harry attended the show in coordinating blue outfits, showing a united front despite the upheaval of the last few months.
Fans were quick to point out that the couple looked like characters from a movie as they walked in the rain, grinning at one another.
The duke and duchess watched a myriad of awards be presented throughout the evening, and they both presented awards themselves.
However, the presentation of the Recognizing Award, which honors "the individual who has best utilized their endeavor to promote and catalyze their recovery," as stated on the Endeavour Fund's website, stood out more than others.
The 2020 award went to Danny Holland, a veteran who was injured by an IED bomb in Afghanistan in 2012
It’s time to reveal the first winner of the night, and the award for Recognising Achievement goes to Danny Holland for his incredible @Missionmotorspt success!
Congrats Danny #EndeavourFundAwards pic.twitter.com/vK7jNd8O9g
— Endeavour Fund (@EndeavourFund) March 5, 2020
The explosion left Holland with shrapnel in his body, and he lost hearing in his right ear. Holland also faced mental health issues, as he wrote on his Facebook page.
Holland began racing karts and cars with Mission Motorsport as part of his recovery, and he's now training to be an instructor to help others like him.
Based on photos shared on the Endeavour Awards Twitter page, Holland appeared to be emotional when he went to accept his award, but he decided to make the moment extra sweet by proposing to his fiancé during his speech.
She said yes!!
A second enormous congratulations to Danny on his engagement! What an amazing proposal, and what a way to kick off the #EndeavourFundAwards! pic.twitter.com/v2bxaur9lr
— Endeavour Fund (@EndeavourFund) March 5, 2020
The crowd, which included Markle and Harry, cheered as Danny proposed
Audience members clapped as the couple got engaged, including the duke and duchess, who were both visibly excited based on photos that captured their reactions.
Markle raised her hands to her mouth as she watched the proposal, unable to hide her excitement.
She grinned widely behind her hands, and the duchess had an emotional look in her eye.
Harry looked surprised as the engagement happened, but he was soon smiling as well.
You can watch a video of the duke and duchess' experience at the Endeavour Awards on their Instagram, which includes shots of their reaction to the proposal.
- Read more:
- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry wore coordinating blue outfits for an appearance in London
- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared a romantic moment in the rain at their first joint appearance since 'Megxit'
- 'She felt very shackled': The dramatic inside story of Meghan and Harry's unprecedented exit from the royal family
- Canada won't pay for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's security costs after they resign in April