Adele, who is reportedly engaged to long-term partner Rich Paul, seems to be confirming the news now! The “Go Easy on Me” singer and the high-profile sports agent, who represents the couple’s close friend and NBA legend LeBron James, have been under speculation of engagement for years. Now it seems that the beloved singer has put all the rumours to rest with her recent hint towards a possible engagement.
On Friday, at a Munich concert, Adele responded to a fan’s proposal by saying, “I can’t marry you, I am already getting married”, while subtly holding up and showing off her left hand to the audience. The video was shared on a fan account on social media. Adele expressed how she appreciated the fan’s gesture “very much”, as the crowd continued to cheer upon hearing the news of the reported engagement.
Against this backdrop, let’s take a look back at the couple’s relationship journey.
During her Las Vegas residency in September 2023, Adele fueled further rumours about her relationship with the sports agent Rich Paul by referring to him as her “husband”. A viral video showed Adele responding to a fan’s question- if she will marry her- during her fan questions segment of the show. To this Adele replied, “You can’t marry me, I’m straight my love. And my husband’s here tonight.” when the fan urged Adele to give it still a try, she immediately replied, “Oh no, I don’t want to try… I’m with Rich.”
Adele frequently courtside with her long-term boyfriend Rich Paul, cheering and supporting the Los Angeles Lakers. Paul is the founder of Klutch Sports Group, representing LeBron James and several other key players of the NBA. The couple was spotted attending Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference semifinal between the Golden State Warriors and the Lakers on May 6, 2023.
@Adele singing Happy Birthday to @RichPaul4 @AdeleAccess @AdeleResidency #daydreamer #Adele #WeekendsWithAdele pic.twitter.com/CIRulY2U64
— shannonguestphotography (@sguestphotos) December 17, 2022
Adele took a special moment to acknowledge Rich Paul on his birthday during her Las Vegas residency in December 2022. She expressed, “I love you more than life itself.” She then led the audience in singing “Happy Birthday” to the sports agent.
In August 2022, Adele shut down the rumours about her and Rich Paul’s engagement. The singer who is often spotted wearing a diamond ring on her left hand, expressed in an interview for her September 2022 Elle Cover story, “I'm obsessed with him... I'm not engaged. I just love high-end jewelry, boy!” The ‘Rolling in the Deep’ singer also added that she is “absolutely” ready to get married again, and have more children. She said, “I'm a homemaker and a matriarch, and a stable life helps me with my music."
Adele shared a valuable piece of advice given to her by Rich Paul, in a July 2022 episode of BBC Sounds’ “Desert Island Discs”. Adele highlighted how Paul’s advice encourages her to step out of her comfort zone. Speaking with host Lauren Laverne, the "Easy On Me" singer shared how she has sometimes withdrawn from the spotlight to control what the public knows about her. However, this led her to miss out on simple pleasures in life.
Reflecting on her relationship, Adele mentioned that Paul encourages her to embrace these experiences, saying, "If you want to go to that restaurant, you should go and try the food there. If you want to attend a birthday party, then you should go. You can't miss out on these things, what's the worst that could happen?"
In June 2022, Adele and her boyfriend Rich Paul enjoyed a star-studded double date with NBA star LeBron James and his wife Savannah James. The couple were invited to the wedding of basketball player Kevin Love and model Kate Bock. They attended the wedding with James and his wife. LeBron James later took to social media to post a stylish picture of the double date with all of them dressed in black. He captioned the post “iconic”.
On May 11, 2022, Adele shared a series of photos on Instagram featuring her and Rich Paul. The pictures included a playful moment of the couple at a fast-food restaurant and another of them sharing a kiss. "Time flies," Adele captioned the post.
Adele was spotted enjoying the game courtside with boyfriend Rich Paul at the Staple Centre. It seems that the basketball games are their favourite choice for a date night. The couple were first seen together at Game 5 of the NBA finals in Phoenix, Arizona in July 2021.
In an interview with Vogue, Adele shared how she and Paul first met at a party years ago. Paul’s dance moves instantly caught Adele’s attention at the party. She recalled, “I was a bit tipsy and said, 'Do you want to sign me? I’m an athlete now.' He was the only one dancing, while everyone else was just sitting around."
In a September 2021 Instagram post, Adele officially confirmed her relationship with Rich Paul. She posted a black and white photo booth pictures of the couple cozying up at Anthony Davis’ wedding. The picture was captioned with a plain heart emoji.
