Congratulations are in order for James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet, who have just got engaged. On 6 October, James shared a loved-up snap of the pair in the Lake District, with the cute caption, ‘She said OUI. Our secret is out, but we couldn’t be happier to share the news.’ (He also added, ‘#jalizee’, meaning he already has a wedding hashtag sorted. Very organised!)
The pair were flooded with well wishes, with Princess Beatrice’s fiancee Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (who also popped the question recently) writing, ‘Adorable - congrats guys!’ Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas also added a ‘Congratulations!!’
When did Alizee Thevenet and James Middleton start dating?
The pair met last year in a London bar, and Alizee’s father told The Mail that they had been dating for six months in January. But apparently she didn't have any idea who Kate Middleton's younger brother was when they were first introduced. A friend told the publication, ‘James offered her a drink and Alizee did not know who he was until a friend told her.’
They were first seen together at the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund’s Christmas Carol Service at St. Luke’s Church in London last year. It looks like their relationship has progressed quickly, with the pair vacationing in St. Barth's alongside Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews, and then attending Lady Gabriella Windsor's royal wedding at Windsor Castle.
James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet attend the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor
1 of 1James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet attend the wedding of Lady Gabriella Windsor
Where is Alizee Thevenet from?
Alizee grew up in France, but has also spent time during her life in the UK, Belgium, Chile, Germany and Indonesia. Unsurprisingly, that means she can speak three languages. Her dad told the Daily Mail, ‘Alizee spoke Spanish very well when we lived in Chile, although we always speak French as a family, but she did not really speak English until she moved to London.’
What does Alizee Thevenet do?
Alizee is a financial analyst. She studied accounting and finance in Brussels, and later finished a masters in investment and finance at Queen Mary, University of London.
What does 'Alizee' mean?
Her father Jean-Gabriel Thevenet recently told the Daily Mail that his daughter is named after a tropical wind known as Alize in French. ‘My daughter is named after my first love which is wind-surfing and the Alize wind that fills the sails,’ he said.
How do you pronounce Alizee?
Ah-Lee-Zay (a bit like a Lycee, which is French for school).
READ MORE: Princess Beatrice Is Engaged - But Who Is Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi?