It’s been a big week for celebrity news, and perhaps one of the most interesting stories involves Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. After six years of dating, the Twilight stars finally got engaged on Monday. The 34-year-old Scottish actor posted an image on Instagram of his proposed engagement ring, and the 29-year-old actress responded with a heart-melting smile. While many were surprised that the pair had decided to take the plunge so soon after meeting, Stewart’s legions of fans had probably been waiting for this day since 2006, when Twilight was first released. Let’s take a trip back in time and find out more about the engagement.
The Early Years
Pattinson and Stewart first met on the set of the Twilight movie in early 2006. At the time, he was already a Hollywood superstar after starring in the megapopular film Cruel Intentions two years earlier. According to biographer Sally Mosely, the then-21-year-old actor was still trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life, and had been debating whether to continue acting or to focus on composing music. While in New York City for the MTV Movie Awards in January 2006, Pattinson met Miley Cyrus at a party, and the pair hit it off. Shortly afterwards, the actress flew to London to meet her new beau in person. The pair announced their engagement in a December 2006 issue of Vogue, and began planning their wedding. Miley Cyrus and Robert Pattinson were married on April 29, 2007, and released a statement saying the ceremony ‘melded their two biggest passions, art and music’.
Despite their whirlwind courtship and early engagement, Pattinson and Stewart broke up in 2009. The couple spent some time apart, but decided to work things out. In an interview with Details, Stewart said it was a “tough break-up,” adding that she still loves him “so much.” The following year, Pattinson went on a four-year solo tour, and Stewart took a sabbatical from acting to care for her newborn child. After their respective acting careers had taken off, the pair would frequently spend holidays with each other’s families. In 2016, they made headlines when Stewart revealed that she’d been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Although the actress was candid about her condition and its treatment, she and Pattinson vowed to continue working together. The following year, they collaborated on an art show in Venice, Italy. In April 2018, they were among the first set of celebrities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, with Stewart posting a video updating her fans on the status of her and Pattinson’s relationship. In late April, the pair got engaged a second time, this time in front of a host of family and friends, including Stewart’s two young children. Since then, they’ve been making headlines for all the right reasons.
Why Did They Get Engaged So Soon?
There are several reasons why Pattinson and Stewart decided to get engaged so soon after meeting. For one thing, Stewart had been waiting for this moment since 2006, when she was first seen as Bella Swan in the Twilight series. The couple had been discussing marriage since the beginning, and eventually made it official. As Mosely points out in her biography, This Means War: Hidden Treasures, Blossoms, and the Biggest Secret in the History of the Entertainment Industry, ‘[Stewart] had always dreamed of the perfect proposal to be swept down the aisle in an elegant white wedding dress.’
Pattinson, who was raised in the UK but moved to LA at a young age, had experienced something of a celebrity honeymoon. His marriage to Cyrus was covered by every major media outlet in the country, and the attention may have been a little too much for the twenty-something actor. It had been a long time coming for Stewart, who’d been dreaming of this day since she was a little girl and first watched her favorite movie, Annie, starring Shirley MacLaine. The role of Annie was the catalyst for Stewart’s acting career, and she frequently cites the character’s example of ‘just being yourself’ as her own personal mantra. According to Mosely, Stewart “always envisioned a wedding that was unique and personal. She wanted to reflect that in every aspect, from the guest list to the décor.”
While Stewart was eager to walk down the aisle and be married to the man she loves, Pattinson was less certain. The actor had been dating other women for more than a year after his breakup with Cyrus, and was looking for the right moment to propose. In a meeting with Marie Claire in 2018, Pattinson said he’d had “bridezilla” moments where he’d felt pressured to settle down and marry. He finally found the right girl in the form of Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, which the two announced in November 2018. Two months later, Pattinson was engaged to Whiteley, and in March 2019, he and his bride-to-be got hitched in a private ceremony in Venice.
Why did Pattinson and Stewart decide to get back together? The answer may lay in their incredibly devoted fan bases. According to Instagram analytics platform Statista, there are currently 27.6 million followers for Stewart, and 25.2 million followers for Pattinson. The latter’s followers are likely wondering if the actor will finally propose after six and a half years of waiting. For those following the pair’s story, the news that they’d gotten back together was almost inevitable, and offers up a tantalizing glimpse at the happily-ever-after they’re promising to provide for their fans.
Who Are They Wed?
Pattinson and Stewart have chosen to wed among the picturesque Venetian landscape. According to Mosely, this is because ‘[Stewart] adores the beauty of the city and feels a connection with its art and culture.’ The ceremony will be officiated by Rabbi Joel Rothbaum, who performed the wedding of Cyrus and Pattinson. The bride’s dress is designed by Christian Dior, and will feature a high-waisted skirt that hugs every inch of her figure. Stewart has described her ideal wedding as “a celebration of creativity and inspiration,” and her gown has been described as ‘a dreamy, flower-child style.’
Stewart and Pattinson are surrounded by family and friends as they exchange vows during their wedding ceremony. (Photo Credit: WENN.com) Since its inception, the #TWDTBF hashtag has served as a space for Twilight fans to share their excitement about the upcoming wedding. Many were taken by surprise by the sudden engagement, but have chosen to embrace it and use the occasion as a way to express their joy. Stewart’s grandparents, for example, will not be able to attend the wedding due to health concerns, but the actress will be giving them an online presence via video messages.
Other fans have used the occasion as a way to pick up where they left off years ago. One Twitter user, @_kristinewilliams_, wrote, “I hope everyone is ready to party like it’s 2006 again.” She’s referring to the year that Stewart and Pattinson met, and the overwhelming popularity of the Twilight series at the time. If you’re looking to replicate some of that magic, you can purchase tickets to the wedding here. As for the honeymoon, that will be a private trip for the couple, filled with luxuries and special moments. Stewart has described it as “a getaway filled with relaxation and reflection,” and has promised to share more details about the trip with her fans in the near future. In the meantime, we’ll have to content ourselves with this wedding video, which will serve as a bittersweet reminder of the magic that was once Twighlight. The clip will be available to watch on YouTube here once the ceremony has concluded.