Maria Sharapova Is Engaged! Everything To Know About Her Fiancé, Alexander Gilkes
He's a friend of Prince Harry.
YouTube & DELBO ANDREA / Shutterstock Maria Sharapova has had a very successful career as a tennis player.
And even though her doping scandal resulted in being suspended from playing tennis for 15 months, she has no doubt made an impact among the world of athletes.
But what about this Russian athlete’s personal life? She’s certainly dated a number of high-profile men, including Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, television producer Charlie Ebersol, Slovenian professional basketball player Sasha Vujačić (whom she was once engaged to), and Bulgarian tennis player Grigor Dimitrov.
Now, after two years of dating auctioneer Alexander Gilkes, the pair are engaged!
Sharapova took to Instagram to reveal the exciting news on Dec. 17, writing, "I said yes from the first day we met [heart] This was our little secret, wasn’t it," Sharapova captioned a sweet snap of the souple, adding the clinking champagne glasses emoji and the diamond ring emoji.
Who is Maria Sharapova's fiancé, Alexander Gilkes?
Her groom-to-be is actually pretty successful himself! Here's what you need to know about Alexander Gilkes and his relationship with Sharapova.
He comes from wealth.
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Born in London, Gilkes is a British millionaire. His father, Jeremy, is one of the UK’s best dermatologists and his mother, Robin, worked at the University of Oxford.
He’s a friend of Prince Harry and Prince William.
Gilkes met the Princes when they were studying at Eton College. He attended Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding and used to employ Princess Eugenie.
He has a lot in common with Sharapova.
One might think that a millionaire from London and a tennis player from Russia would find no common ground, but that’s not true with this pair. Gilkes speaks Russian and has an appreciation for Russian literature. Who knew?
He’s a well-known auctioneer.
Since becoming interested in art back in 1997, Gilkes has become part of the world of auctions and art! In 2011, he co-founded Paddle8, an “online auction house specializing in fine art and collectibles,” with Aditya Julka, and Osman Khan.
And prior to this, he was an auctioneer at Phillips de Pury & Company, an auction house, and an executive at LVMH, a luxury goods conglomerate.
He was also an auctioneer for the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Raising Malawi, and amFAR. And in 2014, 2015, and 2016, he was named one of the 100 Most Powerful People in the Art World; he was also featured in Vanity Fair and GQ’s best-dressed lists. Even more impressive? He serves on the board of the New York Academy of Art.
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He was previously married.
Gilkes married fashion designer Misha Nonoo in 2012 after 9 years together.
When they first met in 2003, Gilkes was 24 and Nonoo was just 17 (scandalous!). They tied the knot in Venice, Italy, with many members of the royal family in attendance, and Lana Del Rey sang at the reception!
The couple split in 2016 after four years of marriage.
His ex-wife introduced Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Nonoo is actually Meghan Markle’s good friend and favorite designer.
And though some speculate that Harry’s friend Violet von Westenholz introduced the two, it seems more plausible that Nonoo was the mutual friend.
She was married to Gilkes, a close friend of the princes, after all. Kudos to Nonoo for setting them up on a blind date!
They confirmed their relationship in Oct. 2018.
Sharapova and Gilkes were first spotted at LAX in late January 2018. Then, in March, they were seen at the Gagosian Gallery in Beverly Hills, holding hands and making no attempt to hide their relationship.
Sharapova confirmed their relationship in Oct. 2018 after Maria and Alexander posted pictures on their Instagram accounts while vacationing in the Cotswolds.
Sharapova and Gilkes announced their engagement in Dec. 2020.
Both Sharapova and Gilkes took to Instagram to share the exciting news with their followers.
"Thank you for making me a very very happy boy and saying yes. I look forward to a lifetime of loving you, and learning from you," Gilkes captioned a collage of photos of himself and Sharapova.
Congrats to the happy couple!
Samantha Maffucci is an associate editor for YourTango, who focuses on writing trending news pieces and celebrity gossip. In her free time, you can find her obsessing about cats, wine, and all things Vanderpump Rules.