DEBORAH James couldn’t have looked happier as she celebrated her brother’s engagement to his girlfriend of 11 years.
The cancer campaigner, who is receiving end-of-life care, beamed at her “last impromptu party” following the proposal – prompted by Prince William.
The Duke of Cambridge is said to have given Ben a nudge when he presented his sister with a Damehood last month.
Wills reportedly asked him why he hadn’t yet popped the question after such a long time together.
Announcing the happy news on Instagram today, Deborah shared a series of snaps in which she, Ben and his wife-to-be Ashley grin as they show off the ring.
Underneath, she said: “He finally put a ring on it! Congratulations to Ben and Ashley for finally getting engaged after 11 years.
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“If you ever followed my podcasts, brother banter features highly, and even Prince William joined in on the action recently.
“The question to my brother has always been, ‘why haven’t you proposed?’
“As a family everyone knew they both wanted to, it wasn’t like the it’s been off the cards, it’s just always been apparently about ‘the right time’.
“So they finally did it, and then face timed me from Cornwall and then friends all afterwards – my mouth was still opened for the rest of the day.”
Dame Debs, who last month revealed her body was “no longer playing ball” after a five-year battle with bowel cancer, went on to say she was “of course sad” she won’t be at the wedding.
She was, however, was grateful for an excuse to throw her “last impromptu party” full of cake and silver fairy lights.
Deborah added: “I couldn’t be prouder to be able to finally say that Ashley will be my sister in law – I adore her.
“And she makes Ben happy which is all that matters and vice versa.”
Ben and Ashley’s engagement comes after a tearful Debs told how her cancer has brought them closer than ever.
The 40-year-old broke down as she described the “mind-blowingly” close relationship she shares with her brother and sister, and how they had been her guiding light during her darkest time.
“It’s been the best our relationships have ever been,” she said, her voice cracking as she held back tears.
Dame Debs and her family have been focusing on the small things as her death draws inevitably closer.
This has included quiet time with her parents and a “girly sleepover” organised by sister Sarah last week.
“I cried and cried — it was so special,” she said.
“We roped my brother Ben in, too. I love the picture of the three of us together.
“We’ve always been really close, but the last few weeks have been mind-blowing.
“It’s interesting, at the end of your life, who you want around you.”
As well as her siblings, Deborah has found her mum and dad to be “amazing”, and also her husband Seb and children Hugo, 14, and Eloise, 12.
But it is Ben and Sarah who have been by her side whenever she needs them.
‘SO EMOTIONAL’
Debs, who has raised a staggering £6.6million for charity, said: “My parents have been amazing, Seb and the kids too.
“But, oh my God, my sister and brother . . . I couldn’t be doing this without them.
“It makes me so emotional, I’m going to cry. They are incredible.
“We started our lives together and now, in my final days, they are here with me, they get me.
“They are probably two of the only people I haven’t told to ‘f*** off’ this week.
“I can’t really describe how they are getting me through this.”
Deborah’s honest account of having bowel cancer has touched the hearts of the nation – and the Royal Family.
She said she was “lost for words” after the Duke of Cambridge personally visited her home to personally present her with her Damehood – as well smashing her original fundraising target of £250,000.
In just five days, thousands of people donated more than £5.5m to the 40-year-old’s Bowelbabe fund for Cancer Research UK.
And this has shot up to £6.6m in the weeks since.
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Deborah launched the JustGiving page, urging people to buy her a drink, on May 9 when she revealed she was on hospice care at her parent’s house in Surrey.
She said her body was “no longer playing ball” after medics did all they could to treat her stage four disease.
TO DONATE to BowelBabe Fund visit www.bowelbabe.org
