YouTube star Jimmy “MrBeast” Donaldson, is officially off the market after proposing to his girlfriend, Thea Booysen, on Christmas Day. The couple, who have been together since 2022, got engaged in a private, intimate moment at their home, surrounded by their families. Both families were in on the surprise, and Booysen said yes when MrBeast popped the question.
Booysen, who hails from South Africa, shared the details of the surprise proposal exclusively with People. “My family flew out from South Africa for Christmas, and we were going to do Christmas in our house, so both families were here,” she recalled. “We were opening presents, and then for the very last present, he asked me to close my eyes because it was a surprise.”
MrBeast, known for his elaborate YouTube stunts and viral challenges, orchestrated the engagement in a more personal and private way than many might expect from the social media star. “I intentionally dropped a large box to make noise before presenting the real gift—the ring inside—and then I went down on a knee and proposed,” he said.
The surprise was a success. Booysen, clearly overwhelmed, said, “Of course, I said yes,” and was “extremely excited” by the proposal. The engagement ring, featuring a diamond set in a rose gold band with additional diamonds, is a far cry from what Booysen expected. “I would have been happy with a plastic ring,” she said.
A Special Moment with Family
While MrBeast is known for his large-scale public spectacles, he wanted this moment to be more personal. “My friends thought I would want to propose in a very public way, like some sort of spectacle at the Super Bowl or somewhere else really big like that,” he said. “But I knew that I wanted it to be the opposite, to be really private and intimate.”
MrBeast explained that Booysen is especially close to her family, so it was important to include them in the special moment. “Christmas worked out great because they were in town from the other side of the world,” he said. Thea’s family had flown in from South Africa for the holiday, making it the perfect opportunity for the proposal.
From Strangers to Soulmates
MrBeast and Booysen first met in 2022 when MrBeast traveled to South Africa. The two were introduced by a mutual friend, and Booysen was initially surprised by how down-to-earth MrBeast was, breaking the stereotype of YouTubers being larger-than-life personalities. “When I met him, I was quite surprised how down-to-earth he was, and also how intelligent he was,” she said. “I thought YouTubers were just sort of a persona, but when I met him, I was quite surprised to see that he’s actually a nice guy.”
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The two immediately hit it off, bonding over shared intellectual interests, including science, psychology, and YouTube. MrBeast was impressed by Booysen’s range of knowledge and her deep passion for her work as an author. “She told me about her work as an author and how passionate she is about her hobbies—we vibed instantly,” he said.
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Despite the immediate connection, Booysen didn’t expect it to turn into anything serious. “I thought that was the end of it,” she admitted. But shortly after their meeting, she received a direct message from MrBeast on Twitter (now X) asking to read the book she was writing at the time, The Marked Children. Their relationship blossomed from there, with the two jumping on a long, three-hour call to get to know each other better.
The Proposal
In 2023, before Booysen left for the United Kingdom to pursue her master’s degree, MrBeast asked her when the right time would be for him to propose. Booysen, who was finishing her degree in human cognitive neuropsychology at the University of Edinburgh, suggested he wait until after her graduation. MrBeast honored that request and proposed one month after Booysen completed her studies.
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For Booysen, the engagement is just a formal step in their relationship. “In my mind, we’re already married,” she said. “We’re already on the same page about these things. We talk about children, how we’re going to live together when we’re 70 years old… this was just another step in the process.”
Wedding Plans
Although MrBeast’s schedule is packed, Booysen says they have an excellent team to help them with wedding planning. “We have the best team, I want to say in the world, who can quickly plan a wedding if we need to,” she said.
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The couple is planning a wedding that will be more private and intimate, reflecting MrBeast’s preference for quiet, meaningful moments over public spectacles. “This will definitely be more family and friends—definitely more private,” MrBeast confirmed. “I don’t take much vacation because of how hard I work, so I definitely want to make sure that the wedding will be a time to celebrate with her and spend time with friends and family.”
As for the location, Booysen shared, “We’re thinking of doing it somewhere on an island where we’re far away from just about everybody. We’re not going to try and have a big, extravagant wedding. It’s going to be nice, but it’s certainly going to be intimate [with] close family and friends.”
Looking Ahead
The couple is now focusing on their future together, with MrBeast describing his favorite part of each day as spending time with Booysen. “After working 14-15 hour days, I just want to chill and hang out,” he said. “Thea loves doing a lot of the same things that I do. We have a lot of similar interests—playing video games, spending time with our dogs, and seeing the world.”
With a busy year ahead, including MrBeast’s ongoing projects and Booysen’s work, the couple is excited about the future as they take this next step together. For now, they’re enjoying their time as a couple and looking forward to their wedding day, wherever that may be.
