Here at Closer, crossover reality show babies are our Royal babies – so this is a day for celebration for us. We should have a day off, really.
That's not to say we don't celebrate Love Island babies or TOWIE babies, because let's face it, they end up winning the genetic lottery and looking absolutely ADORABLE i.e. Cara de la Hoyde and Nathan Massey's babies Freddie and Delilah and, of course, our newest Disney Princess, Molly-Mae and Tommy's new bundle of joy, Bambi.
But there's just something about two superstars who find fame on different reality series, finding each other in the glitzy world of showbiz and making a family together. It's a Closer fairy tale.
Our latest royal family hasn't actually had their baby yet, but they have announced they are expecting (due this autumn), but that's not all – they're also recently engaged. Yes, Love Island 2022 Casa bombshell Chyna Mills (proving that Love Island does, in fact, work in a roundabout way) and Strictly pro Neil Jones are in it for the long haul and the showbiz world is over the moon for them.
Chyna and Neil confirmed their wonderful news in an interview with Hello!. Chyna said, "After the baby news, we were on cloud nine – and now this. It still doesn't feel real."
Neil added, "I'd already planned to ask Chyna to marry me before we knew she was pregnant. Then we found out and I was like: 'Oh, this is brilliant, everything is coming together."
Chyna opened up about the surprise proposal, telling the publication, "At first, I thought he was joking because we play jokes on each other all the time.
"Then Neil was like: 'Chyna, so is it a "yes" or "no"?' because a few minutes had passed and he was still on one knee. I was like: 'Yeah!'"
Naturally, their showbiz chums were quick to share their congratulations on Instagram.
Chyna was offered congratulations from many of her Love Island 2022 co-stars, including Dami Hope, Indiyah Polack, Tasha Ghouri, Andrew Le Page, Gemma Owen, Danica Taylor and Summer Botwe. While Neil was offered congratulations by virtually every Strictly star under the sun, including Luba Mushtuk, Oti Mabuse, Motsi Mabuse, Maisie Smith, Graziano Di Prima, Ola Jordan and Gorka Marquez. In other words, we need to blag ourselves an invite to this wedding. We'll even settle for an evening invite – we're realistic.
The couple's love story began when Chyna caught Neil's eye during her stint on Love Island 2022. According to Hello!, Neil watched Love Island while travelling around on the Strictly presents: Keeeep Dancing! tour bus last year and liked what he saw (stunning, funny, down to earth... we get it). Neil then DM'd her on Instagram, and they met in real life for the first time at a showbiz party. And the rest is, as they say, is history.
While rumours were swirling, the pair were pictured leaving the National Reality TV Awards hand-in-hand and then shared a trip to Paris with each other (and their nosy Instagram followers).
Since the relationship became official, Neil and Chyna have been all over one another's socials; whether it's Neil confessing his love for the ex-Islander or Chyna referring to the dancer as "her very own Ginger Spice" (obsessed with that, FYI). It's safe to say that the couple are very much loved-up, so we're not actually too surprised by these sizeable next steps the relationship.
*Suddenly picturing the amount of sequins at this Strictly wedding*
Back in October 2022, Neil spoke out about their relationship for the first time after making his red carpet debut with Chyna.
Speaking about possibly moving in with Chyna, Neil told the Mirror, "We don't know yet, we're having such a nice time together, still getting to know each other – she's putting up with me slowly."
Chyna shared a handful of candid photos in September (which was her first full month of stardom), that included one very telling mirror selfie of Neil kissing her hidden in the middle of the bunch, finally solidifying those dating rumours.
We're off to buy a hat and a sequinned baby onesie.
Congrats, lovelies.