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EastEnders’ Shona McGarty announces engagement to boyfriend Ryan Harris

What a romantic way to pop the question!

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EastEnders’ Shona McGarty is engaged to boyfriend Ryan Harris!

The actress, best known as Walford’s Whitney Carter, told OK! magazine she was over the moon after Ryan popped the question at her surprise birthday party.

And romantic Ryan went all out to make it a very special day to remember!

The electrician, 34, invited all of Shona’s closest friends and family to the glam bash, where he got down on one knee in front of everyone.

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Shona, 26, explained: “Ryan asked me to cut the birthday cake and I was like: ‘Why? We’re not getting married!’

“But I did it and there was a box on the top of the cake and Ryan asked me to open the box. When I opened it there was a ring inside and I turned around and Ryan was down on one knee and I started crying.”

Aww!

The soap actress added: “The engagement was a complete surprise, but we had spoken about marriage, just to check that we both wanted the same things.”

Clearly Shona and Ryan are pretty good at keeping secrets, because Shona’s 26th birthday was way back in October!

Shona and Ryan – who has two young children from a previous relationship – began dating after meeting through mutual friends in 2013.

She previously told The Sun that friendship blossomed into romance on a big night out with pals, who all knew they fancied each other.

“He asked me whether my eyelashes were real, I said they were, and then he told me to close my eyes,” she recalled.

“He kissed me, and I just thought: ‘Oh my god, that’s so cheesy.’ All of my friends were just looking in suspense, as they all thought he was going to get a slap, but then I kissed him back.”

Shona added: “He’s The One.”

While her previous relationship with EastEnders co-star Matt Lapinskas played out in public, Shona and Ryan prefer to keep their romance away from the limelight.

Shona has yet to address the happy engagement news on social media.

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Instead, her last tweet was to fellow EastEnders actress Lorna Fitzgerald, congratulating her on Abi Branning’s emotional exit scenes.

“So, only just stopped crying,” tweeted Shona. “Brilliant. I love you Lorna!!!”


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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