Meghan Markle interrupted Prince Harry to accept marriage proposal

Actress Meghan Markle was so excited at the thought of becoming Prince Harry's wife, she interrupted the British royal's heartfelt proposal speech to say yes.

Prince Harry and the Suits star announced their engagement on Monday morning (27Nov17), ending weeks of fevered tabloid speculation, and hours after making their debut as husband and wife-to-be in an official photocall in London, they sat down for their first TV interview together.

During the BBC chat, the couple recalled meeting on a blind date after being matched up by a mutual friend, but the royal confessed he had "never even heard of" TV star Meghan, although he was "beautifully surprised" by the actress.

They also opened up about the night Harry popped the question, revealing they were enjoying a "standard typical night in for us", roasting a chicken for dinner at the Prince's Nottingham Cottage pad on the grounds of royal residence Kensington Palace.

"(It was) just an amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic," shared Meghan. "He got on one knee... I could barely let you finish proposing. I said, 'Can I say yes now?'"

Harry continued, "Then there were hugs and I had the ring in my finger (sic) and I was like, 'Can I give you the ring?' She goes, 'Oh yes, the ring!'"

The sparkler was designed by Harry himself and features one round brilliant diamond, which he sourced from Botswana, where the couple recently enjoyed a vacation, flanked by two smaller diamonds set in a gold band.

The smaller stones were repurposed from a piece of jewelry in his late mother Princess Diana's personal collection, "to make sure that she's with us on this... crazy journey together," he explained.

Meghan is particularly touched by the everlasting connection she now has to Diana, who died in a car accident in Paris, France in 1997.

"The inclusion of that (Diana's diamonds) and, obviously not being able to meet his mom, it's so important to me... to know that she's a part of this with us...," she smiled. "It's incredibly special. And you know, to be able to have this (the ring) which sort of links where you come from and Botswana, which is important to us, it's perfect."

Prince Harry is convinced his mother would have been "thick as thieves" with his bride-to-be: "I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, so excited for me," Harry added, "but then, as I said, she would have probably been best friends... with Meghan."

He continued, "You know, it is days like today I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news. But, you know, with the ring and with everything else that's going on, I'm sure she's with us."

The couple is set to marry in spring, 2018 and will live together in Nottingham Cottage.