London: Prince Harry says his mother, Princess Diana would have been "over the moon" and instantly "best friends" with his choice of bride - American actress Meghan Markle.
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In an interview with the BBC's Mishal Husain, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spoke for the first time about their engagement, revealing the yellow gold engagement ring that Prince Harry designed included two stones from his mother's collection.
"The main stone itself I sourced from Botswana and the little diamonds either side are from my mother's jewellery collection to make sure that she's with us on this - on this crazy journey together," he said.
Asked what his mother would have made of Markle, Prince Harry said he was in no doubt what her reaction would have been.
"Oh they'd be thick as thieves, without question," he said.
"I think she would be over the moon, jumping up and down, you know so excited for me, but then, as I said, would have probably been best friends with Meghan."
"It is days like today when I really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news," the prince said.
"But you know with the ring and with everything else that's going on I'm sure she...”
"She's with us," said Ms Markle, completing her fiance's sentence. The pair held hands as they sat on a couch side by side for the interview.
"I'm sure she's with us, jumping up and down somewhere else," Prince Harry said.
Engaged over roast chicken
The couple also revealed how they became engaged, saying they were "trying to roast a chicken" at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace where Prince Harry lives and where Ms Markle will also live.
"[It was] just an amazing surprise, it was so sweet and natural and very romantic, he got down on one knee," said Markle.
"She didn't even let me finish, she said 'can I say yes? Can I say yes? and there was hugs and I had the ring in my finger and I was like 'can I give you the ring?' She goes 'oh yes the ring'."
Prince Harry rejected suggestions that their relationship, which began in July last year, had been a "whirlwind."
He said they had had some time to date before it became public, including a camping trip in Botswana.
"We camped out with each other under the stars ... she came and joined me for five days out there, which was absolutely fantastic," he said.
Markle said she had meet the Queen a couple of times and described her as an "impressive woman."
Earlier the couple appeared before photographers in the sunken garden at Kensington Palace.
It was a photo call only and not a media conference, meaning they did not take questions but did respond to some questions shouted across the lake by the two royal reporters who attended.
Prince Harry said he was "thrilled" and said "of course" the proposal was romantic.