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Dame Kelly Holmes has reportedly got engaged to her girlfriend Louise Cullen, three years after publicly coming out as gay, marking a new chapter in both her personal life and her inspirational journey.
The Olympic legend, best remembered for her remarkable double gold in the 800m and 1500m at the 2004 Athens Games, is said to have popped the question earlier this year.
A source told The Sun:
“It’s a lovely happy ending after she spent years thinking she was going to be arrested for having gay relationships while she was in the Army. It was at a time when homosexuality was still illegal for serving troops.”
Kelly’s path to love hasn’t been an easy one. For decades, she lived in fear of her sexuality being discovered while serving in the British Army, where same-sex relationships were still banned until the year 2000.
The couple’s romance began in an unexpected way during lockdown in 2021. They met through an online fitness community launched during the pandemic. What began as casual workout chats quickly blossomed into something much deeper.
Louise Cullen, a professional massage therapist, soon became not just Kelly’s partner but also a constant source of encouragement and love. The couple chose to keep their relationship largely private in its early stages, although Kelly began sharing glimpses of her happiness in recent interviews.
In 2023, Dame Kelly opened up about how supported she felt in her relationship, saying:
“She loves me for me. I’m just happy.”
Kelly’s engagement comes as a deeply symbolic milestone. It follows her landmark decision in June 2022 to come out publicly, sharing her truth in a heartfelt interview where she admitted the weight of hiding her sexuality for more than 30 years.
Her announcement at the time resonated around the world, not just because she is a celebrated athlete, but because she became a role model for countless people still struggling with their identity.
Friends and fans have taken to social media to share their joy at the news of her engagement, congratulating the couple and celebrating Kelly’s journey from a life of secrecy to one of openness and love.
The engagement is a reminder that it’s never too late to embrace your authentic self and find happiness. For Kelly, who once felt she would never be able to live freely and openly, it marks the continuation of a remarkable personal transformation.
