Actor Ben Barnes and "American Idol" alum Aubrey Cleland became engaged late last year after nearly two years of dating, Page Six can exclusively report.
Barnes, 45, proposed to Cleland, 33, on Dec. 31, 2025, by the sea in southwest England. The couple were in the United Kingdom for their first holiday together with their families at the time.
The pair began dating in the summer of 2024, and have kept their relationship largely private. Cleland appeared in Barnes' music video for his song "Nevermind" in December 2024. The following month, she joined him on stage in Portland, Oregon, for a duet of his track "One Minute More."
In July 2025, Barnes and Cleland were photographed together during an apparent dinner date in London, walking arm in arm.
Though they follow each other on Instagram, neither has publicly posted about their relationship. They do, however, frequently exchange likes on social media, with Barnes often commenting with heart emojis on Cleland's artwork.
Barnes, known for his roles in "The Chronicles of Narnia" film series, has previously been linked to Tamsin Egerton, Felicity Jones, and Julianne Hough, though he has never publicly addressed those rumored relationships. He previously described going through a "miserable breakup" and a "very, very rough time" when writing his ballad "The In Between."
The couple share a Siamese cat named Simba and plan to make Los Angeles their permanent home.