GEMMA Collins is engaged to Rami Hawash after he secretly popped the question on their lavish holiday to the Maldives – 14 years after they first found love.
The reality TV legend, 43, is set to get her ‘happy ever after’ following Rami’s stunning romantic proposal that took her by surprise and left her in tears.
A source told The Sun: “Rami popped the question again in the Maldives, and Gemma had no idea it was coming, she was so shocked.
“She is absolutely thrilled and she can’t believe it is finally happening.
“Rami had flown out hundreds of roses and there were thousands of petals. She didn’t know what was happening until a huge platter of cakes came out and as Gemma started eating her mango dessert, Rami surprised her and said, ‘look at that’.
“He had lit up, ‘Will You Marry Me?’ on the sand.
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“Gemma had no idea, she thought they were having a relaxing dinner on the beach, she had no makeup on, it was a beautiful natural moment and she couldn’t have wished for anything more.
“He got down on one knee, the ring was in a shell. It was such a beautiful moment and of course she cried.”
The source added: “Yes, the ring is absolutely amazing. It’s a huge big sparkler.”
Gemma and Rami were first engaged 11 years ago but they sadly split as she wasn’t ready to settle down at the time.
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They rekindled their romance in lockdown after a chance meeting at a music concert, which followed her sad break-up from her troubled Towie co-star James Argent.
Then two years ago, Gemma revealed that Rami had asked her for her hand in marriage a second time.
Asked if they saw marriage in their future, Gemma said: “Yeah, but we can’t really come out and say anything yet because Ram was married before and his paperwork has not come through, so until that’s officially signed, we’ve not said anything.
“They’ve not been together for two years. I know her, she’s got a partner, she’s as good as gold. There’s a child involved, he’s only three, obviously I love him to death.”
The TV star previously revealed that she wanted to get married abroad.
“I’ve finally found the venue. It’s going to be in Mykonos,” she told Judi Love on The Big Breakfast in 2022.
“It will be the big event everyone is going to expect.”
She also compared herself and Rami to Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, who tied the knot nearly two decades after they originally dated.
About the big day itself, Gemma said: “Darling it aint gona be low key.
“Every time I see Jen and Ben that is me and Rami all over.
“So I’m going to ring J-Lo and see if she’ll lend me one of her outfits for the evening, so J-Lo I’m putting the call in baby.”
FAMILY MATTERS
Gemma is a doting step mum to six-year-old Tristan, and is often pictured cosying up to him on their family days out.
She publicly thanked his biological mum for “letting her look after him” and has spoken of her happiness at being in Tristan’s life.
And he’ll play a key role in her wedding to Rami, along with her two newphews, as she often shares her love for the boys.
Gemma has always been open about her desire to have a family, and recently gushed over spending time with Tristan.
She said in a recent post: “No feeling like it. My little prince being a step mummy is so rewarding. Love is free and so rewarding nothing can put a price on this.”
Our life is very good right now, the way she looks after Tristan. Tristan loves Gemma so much.
She added in a second post: “Auntie stepmum and hopefully god will give me a gift one day but I am so happy with what I have right now. A HUGE THANK YOU to his lovely mummy for letting me look after him.”
Rami also gushed over her as the “best step-mum” after she hired a Brazilian chef to cook for his son Tristan.
The car businessman explained that the former The Only Way Is Essex star always goes the extra mile for Tristan as she just “loves” being his stepmother.
Gemma told ODE of her life as a stepmum: “In the beginning, because his mum’s Brazilian and obviously Rami’s Israeli, I was like, ‘this kid ain’t gonna eat scrambled eggs for breakfast or corn flakes’.
“I used to like doing this whole continental morning platter and Rami used to go, ‘He’s not gonna eat it,’ so then I hired a Brazilian chef basically so, yeah, he’s got full on Brazilian chefs.”
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Rami chimed in: “We’ve got a Brazilian cleaner too, whole house full of people cooking, cleaning, doing this, doing that, unbelievable.”
He added of Gemma: “She’s the best mum, our life is very good right now, the way she looks after Tristan. Tristan loves Gemma so much.”
Gemma and Rami’s love story timeline
Their love story has been years in the making and was meant to be.
It all began back in 2011 when they met in a pub in Chigwell, Essex.
They started dating properly two years later and Rami made several appearances on The Only Way Is Essex before they announced their first engagement in the same year.
But their relationship hit a rough patch, leading to a break-up, with Gemma citing that she “wasn’t ready” for marriage at the time.
After navigating a tumultuous on/off relationship with her Towie co-star James Argent Gemma and Rami found their way back to each other in late 2020 after crossing paths at a Madonna concert in London.
In December 2021, Gemma first announced that they were re-engaged and embraced her role as stepmother to Rami’s six-year-old son, Tristan.
A year later she called off their wedding, insisting she didn’t want to spend frivolously on a huge wedding during a cost of living crisis.
The U-turn came a year before they sparked split rumours again.
Last year, they went months without being pictured together in public.
They also unfollowed each other on social media.
Gemma then confirmed in October that they were firmly back on and that she wanted to get married in a quiet ceremony.
