Maria Sharapova announces engagement to Prince William's friend Alexander Gilkes

Tennis star Maria Sharapova on Friday took her millions of fans by surprise   when she announced that she is engaged to her boyfriend  Alexander Gilkes.

The five-time Grand Slam winner  took to Instagram to make the announcement that was accompanied a  couple of pictures of the couple.

"I said yes from the first day. This was our little secret. wasn't  it, " she wrote.

The Russian started dating the New York-based Alexander Gilkes a few years ago. 

The couple made headlines in the British media when they were first spotted together in US.

According to multiple media reports, Alexander Gilkes is known as New York’s best-connected Briton whose ex-wife is also a friend of Meghan Markle.

The reports had also claimed that the couple was expected to attend the royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in 2018.

According to the reports, Gilkes is understood to have become friends with Prince William when they were both at Eton and is also said to be close to Prince Harry, who also went to the same school.

He was also a guest at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding.