YouTube sensation MrBeast has announced his engagement to Thea Booysen.
The social media star, 26, real name James Donaldson, popped the question to gaming streamer Booysen, 27, on Christmas Day.
MrBeast – who has the highest number of YouTube subscribers in the world at 340million – has been dating Booysen since 2022.
He told People: ‘My family flew out from South Africa for Christmas and we were going to do Christmas in our house so both families were here. We were opening presents, and then for the very last present he asked me to close my eyes because it was a surprise.
‘I intentionally dropped a large box to make noise before presenting the real gift — with the ring inside — to her. And then I went down on a knee and proposed.’
‘I was trying to think of the best way to catch her off guard so it would be a surprise. Thea is really close to her family, so I wanted to make sure that they were included in this momentous occasion. Christmas worked out great because they were in town from the other side of the world.’
YouTube sensation MrBeast has announced his engagement to Thea Booysen – pictured December 18
In contrast to his spectacular videos, the star said he wanted the proposal to be intimate.
Booysen’s ring is a ‘beautiful’ diamond on a rose gold band with additional diamonds on each side.
The pair first connected when MrBeast visited Booysen’s native South Africa when a mutual friend invited them both to dinner.
The couple are now eagerly planning a tropical wedding – and after holidaying on Richard Branson’s Necker Island, have taken inspiration for their big day.
MrBeast said: ‘We’re thinking of doing it somewhere on an island where we’re far away from just about everybody. We’re not going to try and have a big, extravagant wedding.’
In 2022 Thea spoke about their blossoming romance.
She said: ‘Going out as Mr. Beast’s [girlfriend] was super anxiety provoking. You get common sayings like, “Oh, she’s gonna break his heart,” or, “She’s gonna be a gold digger.”‘
But the streamer explained that she tries not take the negative comments to heart, since the haters ‘don’t even know her.’
‘I don’t take it seriously at all like, I know this is the process that’s going to take place as people are going to assume the worst of course,’ she continued. ‘They don’t even know [me].’
The social media star, 26, real name James Donaldson, popped the question to gaming streamer Booysen, 27, on Christmas Day
The couple are now eagerly planning a tropical wedding – and after holidaying on Richard Branson’s Necker Island, have taken inspiration for their big day
The couple first went public with their relationship in March 2022 , when she shared a snap of them together to her Instagram, which she captioned, ‘Mr. Beast and Beasty,’ alongside a heart.
They made their red carpet debut in April, when they attended the Kids’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles.
Mr. Beast was previously linked to fellow influencer Maddy Spidell, whom he dated for three years before they split in early 2022.
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