The Albany Gazette - New era: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announce engagement

A joint post on their Instagram pages showed pictures of Kelce down on one knee making his marriage proposal in a flower-laden garden, and then Swift displaying a large diamond ring.

"Your English teacher and gym teacher are getting married," the pair, both aged 35, joked in a caption.

The couple first went public with their relationship in 2023, and their love story has been broadcast on some of the world's biggest stages. The pair have appeared together at her hugely popular concerts and at his NFL games playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.

US President Donald Trump was among the first to publicly congratulate the star couple, despite earlier bad blood with Swift over her endorsement of his opponent Kamala Harris in last year's US election.

"I wish them a lot of luck," he told reporters at a cabinet meeting, when asked about the engagement.

Celebrities flocked to congratulate the pair, including from the worlds of music and sport.

"Awww huge congratulations," wrote singer Avril Lavigne, on Instagram.

"Two of the most genuine people meet and fall in love. Just so happy for these two," wrote Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Kelce's quarterback teammate Patrick Mahomes.

Last year, Swift closed her acclaimed $2 billion Eras tour that shattered records and made her the world's leading music star as she performed 149 three-hour shows around the globe.

Tickets sold for exorbitant prices and drew in millions of fans, with many who didn't get in willing to sing along outside venues.

Swifties -- as her fans are known -- are anxiously waiting for her twelfth studio album "The Life of a Showgirl," to be released on October 3.

- 'Terrific' -

News of the album came this month in an episode of Kelce's "New Heights" podcast, which he hosts with his brother Jason, a former NFL player.

The two hour-plus episode covered topics from how Swift felt after gaining control of her master recordings to her love of bread baking. It showcased playful dynamics between the two, and set a record 1.3 million concurrent views on YouTube, Guinness World Records said.

The 14-time Grammy winner's last major release, "The Tortured Poets Department" came out in April last year.

Though Swift is famed for singing about heartbreaks with her exes, her relationship with Kelce, one of the NFL's most bankable players, has deepened despite the pressures of fame.

Kelce has been a major sports star for years, but his relationship with Swift has propelled him to a new level of international interest that a wedding is set to intensify.

He kicks off his thirteenth season with the Chiefs next week, with speculation that it may be his last as he pursues other entertainment endeavors.

Kelce has won three championship titles with the Chiefs, and is seeking an elusive fourth after coming up short in last season's Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Both Swift and President Trump were in attendance at the major sporting event, sparking much commentary after the Republican billionaire declared "I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT" following her endorsement of Harris.

"I think he's a great guy. I think that she's a terrific person, so I wish them a lot of luck," Trump said Tuesday.

(T.Wright--TAG)