Prince Harry, aged 33, and Ms Markle, aged 36, are to marry in the spring
He said the "stars were aligned" when they fell in love and he proposed over roast chicken
Appearing for photos outside Kensington Palace earlier, Prince Harry said he was "thrilled"
The couple secretly got engaged earlier this month
The Queen and Prince Philip are "delighted for the couple"
Ms Markle is an actress and humanitarian campaigner
The World at One
BBC Radio 4
Kate Robertson co-founded a charity called One Young World which is supported by Meghan Markle. She told the BBC's World at One the actress had shown herself to be "a good role model for women".
Technically, her future sister-in-law Kate is not in fact a princess in her own right - and nor would Meghan be if she marries Harry, The Daily Mirror says., external
"The British Monarchy's rules can be pretty opaque at times, but when it comes to titles, The Firm are clear-cut.
"The right to use a title such as princess, duchess or countess applies JUST to the lucky folk born into the Royal Family, like Prince George, or Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice," it says.
This is, of course, not the first time a British royal has fallen in love with an American, the New York Times says., external
King Edward VIII caused a constitutional crisis in 1936 when he abandoned the throne for the US socialite Wallis Simpson, who had herself been divorced, it recalls.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Duke and Duchess of Windsor in 1967
Tessy Ojo, chief executive of the Diana Award, the charity set up to help young people in memory of Princess Diana says:
"The Diana Award offers their warmest congratulations to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their engagement and we wish them every happiness for the future.
"Prince Harry has had a huge impact on the young people he's met through our youth charity... We know how delighted our young people will be to hear this news today."
As Harry and Meghan make their first appearance since the engagement, some are looking ahead to their potential honeymoon plans.
USA Today, external has its money on an African destination:
"Africa is a sentimental favorite with the royal princes, and Harry has spent considerable time in various countries across the continent working to promote wildlife conservation and his children's and Aids charities. Markle, a humanitarian activist herself, spent time in Rwanda in connection with the work of a Canadian children's welfare charity, World Vision."
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been posing for photographers at Kensington Palace following the announcement of their engagement.
The prince spoke briefly to say he was "thrilled" and said it was a romantic proposal.
"It's unlikely," says The Scotsman,, external "because of the raft of problems it would pose".
"With the level of protection that surrounds an American leader, the inclusion of Mr Trump would give security chiefs a headache as they work to police the high-profile event."
They will speak to the BBC's Mishal Husain
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will give a broadcast interview this afternoon to mark the news of their engagement. The interview will be conducted by the BBC's Mishal Husain on behalf of all broadcasters. It will be made available at 6pm UK time.
It's now early morning on America's east coast, and journalists there are processing news from across the Atlantic.
The BBC's Suzanne Kianpour and Buzzfeed's Katherine Miller both come to similar conclusions...
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... and then there was this dissenting opinion from CNN's Jake Tapper.
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The Press Association's entertainment correspondent writes:
Press Association
Viewers hit out at ITV after the broadcaster interrupted its ad break during The Jeremy Kyle Show to announce Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle.
ITV broadcast a 30-second newsflash on Monday morning with Nina Hossain.
But not everyone welcomed the interruption:
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Scotland's first minister, the foreign secretary and the Scottish Conservative leader tweet...
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Viscountess Hinchingbrooke, an Illinois native who married into the British aristocracy, says Ms Markle likely has had a lot to learn.
“The only British royalty that we ever really heard about was Princess Diana,” she said. “That’s all we ever read or heard about.”
Her first lesson, she joked, was that her husband's title was "vi-count, not viss-count.”
“It’s being respectful of the history I’ve married into … [it’s] older than America itself. Much, much older. To us, as Americans, it’s incredibly fascinating when we see things dating back to the 1500s and the 1600s.
“At the same time, you don’t want to lose who you are as a person … I’ll always have that nasally American accent, but it’s something that I’m incredibly proud of.”
Image source, AFPWhat does Meghan Markle's life in Toronto tell us about the future royal?
Here are five things from the BBC in Toronto, about the actress's life in the city that offer a hint into what she might be like when's she's married to Prince Harry:
Ephraim Mirvis tweets...
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Image source, PAPrince Harry and Meghan Markle's married home will be the prince's current residence Nottingham Cottage, on the grounds of Kensington Palace.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also have an apartment at the palace, with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Spare a thought for the officials and journalists covering the UK government's post-Brexit industrial strategy and the negotiations with the EU today:
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Prince Charles said he was "thrilled" following the announcement of his son Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle.
On a visit to Poundbury in Dorset, he said: "We're thrilled, thank you so much. For both of them.
"I hope they'll be very happy indeed. That's all I can say."
Image source, AFPPrince Harry has grown up in the media spotlight - from a young royal dealing with his mother's death, through his partying teenage years, to his career in the military and, most recently, in charity work.
Harry spent 10 years in the armed forces, becoming the first royal in more than 25 years to serve in a war zone. His military career came to an end in 2015.
The prince, now 33, has said his Army experience will "stay with me for the rest of my life".
This is borne out in his charity work, which concentrates on mental health and helping service veterans.
The most notable part of Harry's charity work is his founding and chairing of the Invictus Games, a Paralympic-style competition for injured ex-service personnel.
He has sometimes fallen foul of the press, whose attention has been a constant part of his life:
Image source, PAThe Liberal Democrat leader Vince Cable has been giving his reaction to the news that Prince Harry and his girlfriend Meghan Markle are engaged.
He said: "I'm just absolutely delighted. Prince Harry is a popular, well-liked member of the Royal Family and I'm sure everyone wishes him well.
"The Royal Family's had its share of marital troubles but, you know, when people are in love and get married that's always good news."