Breaking: Ed Sheeran announced his ENGAGEMENT to high school girlfriend Cherry Seaborn (Details, pics)

Ed Sheeran has revealed he is engaged to girlfriend Cherry Seaborn.

The 26-year-old singer made the announcement with a sweet Instagram post of the pair kissing, as he revealed that he proposed last year but chose to keep the news private until now. Ed informed his 18.9 million Instagram followers: 'Got myself a fiancé just before new year. We are very happy and in love, and our cats are chuffed as well xx'

The singer met Cherry, 24, when they were both students at Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham, Suffolk, when it's believed Ed had a crush on the pretty brunette, but the pair did not begin dating until 2015.

Speaking last year, the Perfect hit maker revealed there was potential for their relationship to become a 'marriage thing', as he reasoned: 'I'm pretty...yeah I feel pretty good about it.

'He said on Australian radio show The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Ed said: 'Yeah, potentially. I would like some kids.

'Of their sweet yet simple life together, he told Clash magazine: 'I always thought to have a really good career, you always had to be incredibly unhappy, and I always thought to be really happy, you had to have a bad career, because I didn't see the balance of the two.

He said on Australian radio show The Kyle and Jackie O Show, Ed said: 'Yeah, potentially. I would like some kids.''I live with Cherry now. We've got cats, we have takeaways and watch movies, we have people round for dinner. I've never had that.''

And I've realised that that's obviously bulls**t, and just what you tell yourself to justify it.The Grammy winning-artist revealed last year that he'd finally had the chance to fall in love after taking a break from music.'

This has been the first time I've ever actually had the time to fall in love properly,' he told Zane Lowe on Beats 1. 'I've always got into relationships very passionately - I'm a redhead and also Irish.'

He also explained he wanted to start a family, revealing: 'I'm ready, let's go - tour bus babies, little fat, chubby babies that just walk around.

'The end of 2017 was a cause of celebration for Ed, not just with his engagement, as he managed to scoop the Christmas Number 1 with his song Perfect, featuring Beyonce, in the Official Singles Chart.

The Shape Of You hit maker was delighted when he beat chart topping songstress Rita Ora and The X Factor's first boy band winners Rak-Su to the title.

Modest Ed revealed it was an 'actual dream come true' and he was 'very proud' to reach the Christmas Number 1 for 2017.

Of his win, he told OfficialCharts.com: 'Thank you very much for making Perfect Christmas Number 1. This is an actual dream come true and I’m very proud and happy.