By Jessica Wedemeyer
8:44pm PDT, Sep 7, 2023
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Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at the stars who found love, suffered heartbreak or experienced some other major event in their love lives in August 2023, starting with this pair…
On the Aug. 7 episode of the "Today" show Jenna Bush Hager revealed that she drunkenly proposed to her now-husband, Henry Hager, just months into their relationship — and he said no! "I proposed to Henry after several cocktails. I was 22 years old. … We'd only been dating three months. He told me he loved me, and I'm like, 'Me too! Let's get married!'" she recalled, adding that her beau "didn't say no" but gently turned her down by laughing off her proposal.
They got engaged a few years later in 2007 after he asked her father, then-President George W. Bush, for permission to propose — which was "not easy," Jenna said, noting that Henry "read the Bible" to prepare. They tied the knot in 2008.
Keep reading for more celeb love life updates…
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During an interview with Telemundo that debuted online on Aug. 3, Ricky Martin revealed that he and his estranged husband, Jwan Yosef, actually started the process of separating years ago: "This is not a recent decision. We have been planning this situation for a long time — it's pre-pandemic," he said, adding that he and his ex "had already gone through a grieving process" when they announced in early July that they were going their separate ways following six years of marriage.
Ricky went on to say that he and Jwan will "always be family" — they plan to co-parent the two children they welcomed together during their marriage, while Ricky will raise his two older children as a single parent — and are "better than ever" in the wake of the breakup: "We look into each other's eyes and smile. We hug each other. We go through the ups and downs. We cry together and we laugh together," he said in Spanish, according to a Hola! translation, adding that their children "never saw a fight" between them because they "resolved our differences with a good talk, maybe in our room." When they told their children they were divorcing, the kids replied, "Don't do it for us, we're OK," he recalled.
"It has been wonderful. I even told Jwan we should write a book about how to get divorced properly. In fact, if someone is getting divorced, come and talk to us because we already have this figured out. It has been much easier than we thought, but we've done it with time and calmness," Ricky said.
He also noted that he wants "to have a good time" and "enjoy life" now that he's back on the market: "I do see myself in another relationship. I'm not talking about the near future, but I like being in love, I like being in a relationship, I like waking up in the morning to a morning kiss, breakfast, and complicity," he said after clarifying that he's in no rush to enter another relationship so soon.
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Is a royal engagement imminent? On Aug. 7, Woman's Day reported that back in June, Prince Christian of Denmark introduced his rumored girlfriend, Princess Maria Chiara of Bourbon Two Sicilies, to his grandmother, Queen Margrethe. The introduction indicates that things between the pair — who are close family friends and have known each other since they were children (her father is his little sister's godfather) — are growing serious.
"Chiara was presented to Queen Margrethe over the summer and they all took tea together. Christian knew they'd hit it off and was thrilled that she invited them to tea. It's an informal stamp of approval for Chiara because Margrethe doesn't take tea with just anyone. However, she does take very seriously her lineage and takes it as her duty to invest time in Christian's happiness and his choice of partner," a source said, adding that Chiara was "in awe of the queen" and had been "practicing her curtsies for months" before they met. "She did very well and made a good impression on Queen Margrethe. Christian's relieved — and so is his mom, Princess Mary," the insider added.
According to a second source, both Mary and Prince Frederik think Chiara is "wonderful" and "brings out the best in their son," though "they're worried about their ages" because "Mary wants them both to experience the world before buckling down to a very serious partnership." (Christian is 17 and Chiara is 18.)
Still, according to a third source, "There's no doubt an engagement announcement is on the horizon and the palace is preparing accordingly." Other insiders reportedly noted that Christian is "completely smitten" with Chiara, who told Danish press that she and her rumored beau have "a beautiful friendship" and "a lot of fun together."
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During an interview with People magazine that hit the internet on Aug. 7, "Claim to Fame" star Hugo Wentzel — who's former President Jimmy Carter's grandson — revealed that he started dating actress and TV host Jenny McCarthy's niece — tattoo artist Olivia Aquilina, who uses she/they pronouns — after they connected on the second season of the ABC reality show.
"It's amazing. Olivia's the best. I literally love Olivia. It's crazy I got to meet them on that show. … We linked up and it's just been great," the political scion said.
Two days later, the duo made their relationship Instagram official when they shared their first joint post: a slideshow of PDA-packed photos. "America's favorites," they captioned the sweet snaps referring to themselves as "Mom and Dad."
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On Aug. 15 — four years after Dylan Barbour and Hannah Godwin got engaged on the finale of season 6 of "Bachelor in Paradise" — the former pageant queen took to Instagram to announce that they recently got engaged for the second time: "Although our first engagement was and still is SO special to us, over the past 4 years we've talked about having a special little moment just for us in the real world, and @dylanbarbour surprised me and made it happen last week. Now off to our wedding location today to tie the knot!!!" she captioned a photo of her beau on bended knee.
On Aug. 23, they tied the knot at the Chateau de Villette — a historical landmark — in Condécourt, France.
"I honestly did not expect the wedding to be this dreamlike. I can't wait to spend every moment appreciating our life and celebrating such a huge life moment with Hannah and my family," the groom — who first competed for Hannah Brown's heart on season 15 of "The Bachelorette" — told People magazine after they said "I do."
Said the bride, who first appeared on season 23 of "The Bachelor" while looking for love with Colton Underwood, "I think we both feel like we are already married, but it's such a life moment for the both of us that it means the world. As a kid, you always wonder who you are going to marry and spend the rest of your life with, and we couldn't be luckier getting the opportunity to do that with each other. It's fun to know who you'll get to do life with and plan out goals and the future, and be each other's biggest supporter along the way!"
MORE: Celeb PDA of 2023
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Not so platonic after all… According to The Sun, rumored couple Rami Malek and Emma Corrin were seen smooching at a restaurant in Kent, England, on Aug. 9 — just five days after the news broke that the Oscar winner had split from his former long-term girlfriend, "Bohemian Rhapsody" co-star Lucy Boynton. "They were very passionate and looking into each other's eyes. They kissed and didn't seem to mind who could see. [They] just seemed totally besotted with each other and paid no attention to anyone else," a spy said. The duo were also reportedly seen holding hands in London earlier in August. "They looked very much like a couple," a second spy said.
MORE: See photos from Tish Cyrus and Dominic Purcell's Malibu wedding
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On Aug. 16, TMZ broke the news that Britney Spears and her husband of just a year, Sam Asghari, called it quits a week earlier following "a nuclear argument" during which he accused her of cheating on him. He promptly moved out of their marital home and filed for divorce.
According to TMZ, he cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split, listed their date of separation as July 28 and indicated that he wants spousal support from Britney and for her to cover his attorney fees. Sam's lawyer also indicated that he might be gearing up to contest the "ironclad prenup" they signed before they tied the knot in 2022: "[Sam] has yet to determine the full nature and extent of the separate property assets and obligations of each party," his divorce paperwork reads, adding that "there are various items of community and quasi-community assets and debts, the full nature and extent of which are unknown to [Sam] at this time."
According to a Page Six source, Sam is "attempting to negotiate concessions beyond his prenup and threatening to go public with extraordinarily embarrassing information about Britney unless he gets paid." A second Page Six source insisted that "it's blackmail and it'll never happen" and that Britney's inner circle has "protected" her thus far and will ensure that her split from Sam "will be respectful." (TMZ reported that it's likely Britney will hand over a check to Sam to settle the matter.)
Back in May, Britney and Sam presented a united front in the wake of reports that they'd hit a major rough patch in their marriage. According to TMZ, while Sam publicly defended their union, he'd actually become increasingly troubled by the pop star's allegedly erratic behavior behind closed doors.
According to an "Entertainment Tonight" source, Britney is "adamant she didn't cheat" on Sam — they simply "haven't got along for a while and it finally came to an end after a major blowup."
Keep reading for more on what went wrong…
MORE: Notorious celeb cheating scandals
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On Aug. 16, "Entertainment Tonight" reported that, according to a source, Britney Spears and Sam Asghari "have had ups and downs throughout their relationship," and while "they have a lot of love for each other," they also "argue a lot over fundamental issues." Explained the source, "Sometimes they feel as though each other's needs aren't being completely met. Recently, things took a bad turn and their arguments became more serious and real."
A second "ET" source noted that the duo "have had issues on and off as a couple since before they were married." Said the second source, "Their issues tend to get worse when they are away from each other and spending time apart. Britney has the tendency to feel like she isn't being prioritized by Sam at times. Their arguments have led them to become unhappy at times in their relationship. They are also on different pages when it comes to their future as a couple, which has been a point of contention."
A third "ET" source said that Sam "feels like he has gone above and beyond to support Britney and be there for her and like it is never enough."
As for those cheating rumors…
MORE: Celeb splits of 2023
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On Aug. 17, TMZ reported that Sam Asghari believes Britney Spears cheated on him with a male member of her household staff. He's also reportedly under the impression that she asked a male staffer to shoot video of her in her birthday suit, which crossed a major line as far as the actor is concerned. According to the webloid, Sam has seen a video that shows his estranged wife and her employee "together in a compromising position." It's unclear what exactly went down. TMZ reports that the pop star is "in a fragile and hyper-sexualized state, and it's contributed to her dangerous decision-making." Unfortunately, the inappropriate behavior was the last straw for Sam.
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Selena Gomez sparked rumors that she's dating DJ-producer Fred Again when they stepped out together for dinner in West Hollywood on Aug. 3. A few days later, however, "Entertainment Tonight" reported that eyewitnesses said the hangout — which lasted for about an hour and a half — "didn't seem like a date." (There's also speculation that the singer-actress and the "Rumble" hitmaker could be gearing up for a collaboration.) The same night they dined together, Selena took to her Instagram Story to share a silly selfie with Fred. Nothing to see here, then?!
The former child star has a long history of romancing men in the music business. Over the years, she's been linked to Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, Nick Jonas, DJ Zedd and, most recently, Zayn Malik and The Chainsmokers' Andrew Taggart.
MORE: Famous couples who've worked together
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Fans started speculating in mid-August that Lizzo and her boyfriend of about two years, Myke Wright, had quietly called it quits when she suddenly unfollowed him on social media and deleted all traces of him from her Instagram feed amid her recent workplace harassment scandal. On Aug. 11, The Sun reported that, according to a source, "Lizzo has taken the past few weeks very hard and her relationship has suffered. [She and Myke] had a big falling out earlier in the week and she is really upset. Both of them have thought of themselves as soulmates, so it has been really hard on them. Those close to them are hoping they will make up." That same day, however, DailyMail.com reported that a spokesperson for the chart-topper insisted there was "no truth" to the split speculation.
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On Aug. 11, "Stranger Things" star Joseph Quinn and model Alicia Davis were snapped during what appeared to be a dinner date in London, seemingly confirming rumors from last summer that they're an item. The duo seemed quite comfortable with each other during the outing: At one point, she could be seen playing with his hair as he caressed her arm.
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On Aug. 15, Backgrid published new photos (see them here) of Matty Healy and his rumored ex, Meredith Mickelson, out and about in Los Angeles. (They reportedly dined at Nobu Matsuhisa and then caught a movie together.) According to The U.S. Sun, the 1975 frontman and the model dated for about a month until "he dumped her in February" — weeks before he kicked off a highly publicized whirlwind romance with Taylor Swift. Earlier in August, there were unfounded rumors that Matty and Meredith were vacationing together in Hawaii amid their reconciliation in the wake of his June breakup from the pop superstar.
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On Aug. 14, "The Originals" co-stars Danielle Campbell and Colin Woodell took to Instagram to share a joint post announcing that they're engaged: "You and me," they captioned a slideshow of photos including a closeup of the actress's new engagement ring. They've reportedly been an item since 2018 — the same year their cult The CW show came to an end. She went on to star on "Tell Me a Story," while he recently starred on "The Flight Attendant."
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During an interview with Vogue that debuted online on Aug. 4 — their first wedding anniversary — Rita Ora and Taika Waititi cleared up long-standing rumors about their mid-2022 nuptials: "It wasn't in London or in France like everyone reported. It was [at our home] in L.A. with a small group of friends," said the actor-filmmaker, adding that it was the singer-actress who actually proposed to him during a vacation in Palm Springs just a few weeks before they tied the knot. "She proposed to me, and I said yes instantly," he recalled. The couple — who first met in 2018 and started dating in 2021 — exchanged vows in front of just eight close friends and family members including Rita's sister, who walked her down the aisle, and Taika's two daughters from his first marriage. "I can't believe it's been a year. It feels like nothing's changed since the day I met him at the barbecue. It just feels so good to be with my best friend," the pop star gushed.
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Lisa Hochstein and her estranged husband, Lenny Hochstein, have hit another roadblock in their extremely contentious divorce. According to Page Six, on Aug. 10, the famed plastic surgeon filed an emergency petition to rescind the divorce settlement he and Lisa signed off on earlier this summer. He noted in his legal paperwork that his attorney conferred with the "Real Housewives of Miami" star's attorney to hash out a new settlement outside the courts. Lenny also indicated that he made the move to block the old settlement because he anticipated that Lisa would reject it herself. He's asking the court to keep the terms of the now-defunct settlement confidential.
A Lisa-friendly source insisted to Page Six that Lenny is trying to draw out their divorce proceedings until she goes "bankrupt" from attorney fees — which will force her to sign his "low-ball" settlement offer. Although Lisa and Lenny are still legally married, he recently got engaged to his alleged mistress, Katharina Mazepa.
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Ellen DeGeneres took to Instagram on Aug. 16 to publicly celebrate her 15th wedding anniversary with Portia De Rossi: "To my wife of 15 years — I fall more in love with you every day. My life is blessed because you're in it. Happy anniversary," she captioned a smiley snap with the "Arrested Development" actress on a yacht off the coast of Majorca in Spain. The two women renewed their wedding vows during Portia's 50th birthday party in February.
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On Aug. 16 — a little more than a month after Keke Palmer's long-term partner, Darius Jackson, made headlines for publicly shaming her over an outfit she wore to an Usher concert — People magazine and "Entertainment Tonight" reported that the multi-talented former child star and the actor have gone their separate ways: "[They] called it quits shortly after … the Usher concert. Keke is focusing on her work and her 6-month-old son. [She] and Darius have been co-parenting, but for now, they aren't together," an "ET" source said. A People source, meanwhile, noted that Darius has "moved on" from the relationship and added of his current dynamic with Keke, "You don't have to be in the same household to be good parents."
