Pop superstar Miley Cyrus has officially confirmed her engagement to musician Maxx Morando, but it's the timing of the announcement that has fans and commentators talking. The 33-year-old singer was seen showcasing a stunning custom-designed engagement ring at the Hollywood premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash on Tuesday.
The Ring and The Revelation
The confirmation came when Morando's father posted celebratory snaps from Cyrus's 33rd birthday on November 23, which showed the singer proudly displaying the new jewellery. The ring first appeared in her own Instagram birthday photos. The eye-catching piece is a custom creation by Los Angeles-based designer Jacquie Aiche, known for hand-selecting gemstones for their "unique energy."
Experts estimate the value of the ring to be in the region of US$150,000 (approximately £118,000). Olivia Landau, founder and CEO of The Clear Cut, described it to the Daily Mail as "a very of the moment take on a classic silhouette." The centre stone is believed to be an elongated cushion-cut diamond, set east-west in a distinctive yellow gold bezel setting. Some jewellers have suggested the stone may actually be a yellow diamond.
Social Media Buzz Over 'Suspect' Timing
What has truly captured public attention, however, is the sequence of events. Cyrus's engagement news comes just three months after her ex-husband, actor Liam Hemsworth, announced his own engagement to model Gabriella Brooks in September. The pair were married from December 2018 until their divorce was finalised in January 2020, after a relationship that began on the set of The Last Song in 2009.
This proximity has not gone unnoticed. Fans swiftly took to social media platforms to voice their theories, with many labelling the timing as "suspicious" or a curious "coincidence." One user questioned, "Hmmm. Coincidence that she's gotten engaged soon after Liam got engaged to his long-term girlfriend?" while others directly linked the two announcements.
A New Chapter with Maxx Morando
Despite the online chatter, the focus for Cyrus is firmly on her new fiancé. The Grammy-winner has been dating Morando, a musician six years her junior, since 2021. She has previously joked about being a "cougar" but has emphasised the positives of their age gap. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, she noted their different perspectives, saying, "He looks at life really differently than I do... He grew up with a laptop. I had a desktop computer that I shared with my brothers and sisters."
She described their first date, which was a blind date for her, by simply thinking, "The worst that can happen is I leave." Clearly, it led to something more serious. Cyrus was attending the Avatar premiere at the Dolby Theatre because she contributed the ballad Dream As One to the film's soundtrack.
While the internet dissects the timing, for Miley Cyrus and Maxx Morando, the flash of a substantial yellow gold ring marks the beginning of their next chapter together.
