Lily Collins Knew She Wanted to Marry Fiance Charlie McDowell the Second She Met Him

When you know, you know! Lily Collins’ romance with now-fiancé Charlie McDowell was love at first sight.

“I was very surprised as to when and where it would happen, but it was one of those situations where I knew the second that I met him that I wanted to be his wife one day,” the Emily in Paris star, 31, said on Live with Kelly and Ryan on Thursday, October 1. “So, it was just a matter of when, really.”

Collins continued, “It was all pretty much pre-planned. He did a self-timer video, which we were then able to then later get screen grabs. But, he set the whole thing up without me knowing, obviously.”

The 37-year-old director proposed to Collins during their road trip with a rose-cut diamond, which he personally designed with the help of Irene Neuwirth. “I was very, very surprised by it, but it’s exactly what I would’ve wanted, and he knew me so well,” she added.

The Love, Rosie star announced her engagement via Instagram on September 25. “I’ve been waiting my lifetime for you,” she captioned several photos of the special moment. “And I can’t wait to spend our lifetime together.”

In a separate close-up shot of Collins’ stunning diamond ring, she wrote: “The purest joy I’ve ever felt…”

McDowell, for his part, announced the happy news in an Instagram post’ of his own. “In a time of uncertainty and darkness, you have illuminated my life,” he wrote. “I will forever cherish my adventure with you. 💍 🎉.”

Collins and McDowell have been linked since 2019. She made their love Instagram official last August, posting a photo from their time together in Paris. “Always got your back,” she captioned the sweet pic, where she leaned onto his back.

Collins has previously been linked to Zac Efron, Nick Jonas and Jamie Campbell Bower. Meanwhile, McDowell has been linked to Emilia Clarke, Rooney Mara and Haylie Duff.

The To the Bone actress has talked about the ups and downs of dating in the past. In 2015, she spoke to Glamour UK about her experience with being ghosted.

“I’ve been ghosted more times than I care to admit,” she told the publication at the time. “There are times when I’ve [been on dates and] thought we had a great time and then I’ve never heard from the guy again.”