A Royal Marine who was being honoured for his bravery by the Prince of Wales today took the chance to propose to his girlfriend at Buckingham Palace.
Marine Mark Jackson went down on one knee in the grand ballroom of the Queen's home to ask Rebecca Daniel to be his wife shortly after the ceremony in which he collected his Conspicuous Gallantry Cross.
He was being honoured for his heroic actions in Afghanistan after picking up and throwing back an insurgent's grenade and lying on a comrade to shield him from the blast.
Popping the question: Marine Mark Jackson goes down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend Rebecca Daniel after receiving the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross"
Royal Marine Mark Jackson is decorated with the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for services in Afghanistan by the Prince of Wales"
Royal Marine Mark Jackson let the heir to the throne in on his secret proposal as he collected his medal during the investiture"
The incident happened when he was on look-out duty in Helmand province in August last year.
The romantic serviceman let the heir to the throne in on his secret proposal as he collected his medal during the investiture.
'I told him I was going to propose and he said 'Many congratulations in advance',' he said.
Miss Daniel, 29, from Budleigh Salterton, Devon, who was wearing her white gold and solitaire diamond engagement ring, said afterwards in the Palace quadrangle: 'It was totally unexpected. It's a day that's not going to be trumped for a while.
'It was an immediate 'yes'. I think he's been putting me off the scent for a while.'
Brave: Marine Jackson picked up and threw back an insurgent's grenade and lay on a comrade to shield him from the blast"
Marine Jackson, from Newbury, Berkshire, who recently injured his ankle, joked afterwards: 'I went down on one knee. I fought through the pain.'
He added: 'We've been together for two years and she was with me throughout that tour...I thought it would make it memorable.'
The Prince praised the marine, who had been on his first tour, for his bravery.
'I was just a baby marine when I went out there. The Prince read the citation and he just said he couldn't believe it,' Marine Jackson said.
But he added: 'There are so many stories out there that are untold - so many lads that deserve this.'
His medal citation described how his 'only thought was for the life of his comrade who, had he hesitated for one moment, would have been killed.'
Recalling the way he dealt with the grenade, he added: 'I just thought that's going to hurt and ran over and launched it back.'
Meanwhile, Army medic Lance Corporal Kylie Watson who put herself in 'mortal danger' when she ignored heavy Taliban fire to treat a wounded Afghan soldier will collect the Military Cross.
She gave the soldier medical care in exposed open ground for 20 minutes and helped to evacuate him.
On another occasion L/Cpl Watson, of the Royal Army Medical Corps, made a 100m dash in full view of insurgents and under sustained accurate fire to administer life-saving first aid to an Afghan soldier who was shot twice in the pelvis.
Her citation spoke of her 'immense courage, willingness to put her own life at risk and absolute bravery'.
Corporal Isobel Henderson of the Royal Army Medical Corps will receive an MBE for her 'bravery and dedication' in treating wounded British troops and Afghans at a checkpoint which was almost constantly under attack.
From Dalbeattie, near Dumfries, Cpl Henderson had to carry her own weight in kit when she left the checkpoint north of Lashkar Gah in Helmand.
Also today, actor David Suchet collected his CBE from the Prince of Wales.
Known for his portrayal of Belgian moustached detective Hercule Poirot, Suchet is being honoured for his services to drama.
David Suchet is known for his portrayal of Belgian moustached detective Hercule Poirot and actress Harriet Walter became a dame for her services to drama"
Suchet has been nominated for Olivier and Tony Awards for his stage work, particularly his portrayal of Antonio Salieri in Peter Shaffer's Amadeus.
Prince Charles also presented an honour to actress Dame Harriet Walter.
Made a dame for services to drama, she has had a distinguished career on both the stage and screen. Walter has a long association with the Royal Shakespeare Company stretching more than 25 years and has appeared in dozens of films, including Babel in 2006 and Atonement in 2007.
She cited playing Cleopatra with the Royal Shakespeare Company as one her highlights so far.
Television appearances include roles in the BBC's Little Dorrit and ITV1's Law and Order: UK.
Artist Steve McQueen collected CBE for services to the visual arts.
Proud: Actor David Suchet second right proudly holds his CBE with his son Robert, wife Sheila and daughter Katherine, right"
McQueen's 2008 Bafta-nominated film Hunger, telling the story of IRA hunger strikers in the 1980s, won him awards at both Cannes and Venice film festivals. He also won the Turner Prize in 1999 for a series of short films.
The Londoner, who lives and works in Amsterdam, was trained at Chelsea School of Art and Goldsmiths College in the capital.
Suchet said: 'I've had a fantastic career. Although I will be remembered for Poirot I have never been typecast.
'I'm very rarely me. I'm a character actor and that's the joy and the challenge.'
He added that he was hoping to fulfil a 'lifelong dream' to film the remaining Agatha Christie's Poirot novels.
He said: 'It may happen. There's a green light flickering and I'm waiting for it to be steady. It may be next autumn.'
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