Ed Sheeran announces engagement to childhood friend Cherry Seaborn

Ed Sheeran has announced his engagement to girlfriend Cherry Seaborn. The record-breaking singer-songwriter posted the news on his Instagram account, saying: "Got myself a fiancé just before new year. We are very happy and in love, and our cats are chuffed as well".

The 26-year-old has been dating Seaborn since July 2015, although the pair kept their relationship out of the public eye for several months – it was only on their first anniversary that Taylor Swift made the couple known after sharing her best wishes to them on Instagram.

Seaborn, 25, and Sheeran met at school in Framlington, Suffolk, where they both grew up. They weren't, however, teenage sweethearts. As a fellow school friend told Female First: "There was always something there between them. Ed had a crush on Cherry at school, but she had a boyfriend then."

Sheeran had several prominent relationships before settling down with Seaborn. In 2012 he was with singer-songwriter Nina Nesbitt, who inspired the songs Nina and Photograph from his second album, x. He then dated Jamie Oliver employee Athina Andrelos for a year until February 2015. He has never shied away from writing songs about his romantic exploits, with many fans believing his song Don't was inspired by a fling with pop star Ellie Goulding. 

Seaborn, too, has apparently inspired some major hits: song of the summer Shape of You is thought to be indebted to Sheeran's new fianceé while Perfect, his latest single, is dedicated to her. The lyrics include: "I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know, she shares my dreams, I hope that someday I’ll share her home."

Seaborn and Sheeran have lived together for over a year, and moved in during Sheeran's year out of the spotlight in 2016. He told Radio 2: "I’m really secure now. We live together and we have cats. I think when you have cats that’s kind of it."

Seaborn left Suffolk to study in America, at Duke University in North Carolina. She took the Master of Management Studies programme, and is rumoured to have worked as a consultant Deloitte & Touche LLP in New York before returning to England.

She has been the victim of some online criticism and bullying from Sheeran's fans. Others, however, are enchanted by their favourite star's wife-to-be, and are dedicated to celebrating their joint appearances on social media.

Seaborn has not been tempted to share Sheeran's spotlight: in comparison to his 18.9 million Instagram followers, she has a decidedly normal 332. She does, however, have a photo of the Glastonbury headliner kissing her cheek as her profile picture.