Fact Check: Did Ariana Grande announce her engagement to Ethan Slater?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: A claim has been circulating on social media platforms that popular singer Ariana Grande, on Valentine's Day, announced her engagement to her boyfriend and actor, Ethan Slater. The rumor has sparked speculations among netizens, with many questioning the authenticity of the claim. Let us fact-check the viral claim.

Claim: Ariana Grande announced her engagement to Ethan Slater

The rumor surfaced after a viral post circulating on X claims that Ariana Grande announced her engagement to boyfriend Ethan Slater on Valentine's Day.

The post has gained significant traction, with many users expressing excitement, while others seemed confused. 

The post, which appears to show a screenshot of an Instagram announcement featuring a photo of Grande and Slater together with a caption that reads, "Forever starts now... 💍❤️."

The screenshot quickly gained thousands of likes and reposts.

As the post went viral, social media quickly filled with reactions. Many fans wondered about the timing on Valentine’s Day and viewed it as a planned romantic gesture.

Fact Check: False, Ariana Grande made no such announcement 

However, a careful fact check reveals that there is no engagement announcement on any of Ariana Grande’s official social media accounts.

As of February 16, 2026, Grande’s official Instagram account does not have any engagement announcement from February 14. She has also not posted any engagement-related content on her other social media platforms, including X and TikTok.

The shared image seems to be a digitally altered screenshot. The picture of Grande and Slater in the fake post is an older image from the Wicked press tour, not a new photo taken for an engagement announcement.

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater's relationship and controversy 

While the engagement claim is false, Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater’s relationship is real and has attracted a lot of public attention since it started. 

The two met in late 2022 while filming 'Wicked' in London, in which Slater plays Boq in the two-part adaptation, and Grande stars as Glinda.

They worked closely together for nearly two years, during which their relationship reportedly developed.

The controversy mainly focuses on the timing when news of their romance broke in July 2023, as both were ending long-term relationships.

Grande had separated from her then-husband, Dalton Gomez, in February 2023 and later filed for divorce in September after two years of marriage.

Around the same time, Slater filed for divorce from his wife, Lilly Jay, just days after reports of his relationship with Grande came out. Slater and Jay have a young son together.