Princess Margaret’s grandson Sam Chatto, 29, has announced his engagement to girlfriend and fellow artist Eleanor Ekserdjian.
The British ceramicist is the eldest son of Lady Sarah Chatto – Margaret’s only daughter – and the great-nephew of the late Queen Elizabeth II. He announced the happy news in a sweet Instagram post, where he officially unveiled the porcelain ring he’d handcrafted for his bride-to-be.
Sam Chatto and Eleanor Ekserdjian are officially engaged. Getty
“I’m really delighted to say that Ellie and I are engaged. And we couldn’t be happier,” Chatto captioned the sweet set of snaps – which included a shot of the ring in question on Ekserdjian’s hand.
“I proposed with a porcelain ring which I made,” he said of the striking piece.
According to People, the happy news was confirmed by a Buckingham Palace spokesperson earlier this week.
Per the publication, the spokesperson shared that the couple’s families were “delighted” for them, adding that King Charles was “very happy for them both”.
The palace also noted that the pair, who are both working artists in London, would be wed “next spring”.
Sam studied Art History at the University of Edinburgh – much like Katherine, Princess of Wales, who majored in the same subject at St Andrew’s.
His proclivity for the arts ran in the family, with Sam’s parents Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto both specialising in creative fields themselves.
Lady Sarah is a painter, while Daniel is an actor.
Ekserdjian’s parents are also artistically inclined. According to the Independent, her father, David Ekserdjian, is an art history professor at the University of Leicester, while her mother, Susan Moore, is an art critic at UK publication The Financial Times.
Eleanor Ekserdjian is a fellow artist. Getty
The young royal’s practice, per his now-removed website, utilises techniques such as throwing, hand building, casting and sculpting and is “informed by both ancient and contemporary practice”.
“I intend, to the best of my ability, to create beautiful and well-made objects, and to engage with the materials I am using in multiple ways,” Chatto’s artist bio read.
Much the same as Prince William and Prince Harry, Sam and his younger brother Arthur attended prestigious all-boys secondary school Eton College.
Though not considered a working royal, Sam has been known to join the wider family at official events, and was seen at Queen Elizabeth II’s state funeral, the coronation of King Charles and the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Most recently, Sam and Ekserdjian were spotted in attendance at Peter Phillips’ wedding to Harriet Sperling.