It's a wartime love story for the 21st Century.

Army reservist Steve Little, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers and chair of the Eastleigh, Chandlers Ford and District branch of the Royal British Legion, proposed to French singer Muriele Allexandre, at the Poppy Proms.

The Festival of Remembrance event at The Point, which launches the Poppy Appeal in the area, was a fitting location for Steve to get down on one knee more than two years since the couple fell in love at first sight at a Poppy Tea to thank volunteers. 

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An audience of supporters and dignitaries, including the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Hon Hugo Cubitt and Mayor of Eastleigh, Councillor David Pragnell, cheered and applauded as uniformed Steve proposed, first in French and then in English and 53-year-old Muriele happily agreed to marry him. 

Steve, 48, from Chandlers Ford, told the Daily Echo: "It was quite nerve-racking. I'm used to speaking on stage, but trying to propose in French and remember the right words when it's not the most natural thing was the biggest pressure. 

"It seemed a fitting place to propose because of how we met and the fact that we've been involved in so many other British Legion events together. 

"I would have been quite happy asking Muriele to marry me in a coffee shop or somewhere a bit more subdued, but she's a performer and I knew she'd want something a bit more glitzy!

"She didn't have a clue what I was about to do!"

(Image: Supplied) Muriele, who specialises in wartime , jazz and retro songs, will sing the French national anthem at the Eastleigh remembrance parade on Sunday with Steve, who has served in Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia and Nigeria in 28 years in the Army Reserve, and his team hoping to smash the £50,000 they raised for the Poppy Appeal last year. 

Their intention is to marry at 500-year-old Monmouth Castle in 2026 when Steve has assumed command of the regiment. It's an honour only bestowed upon officers in the regiment and no wedding has taken place there since 2001.

(Image: Supplied)