Double Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes has reportedly become engaged to her long-term girlfriend Louise Cullen, three years after publicly coming out as gay. The 55-year-old, who won gold in both the 800m and 1500m at the 2004 Athens Games, is said to have proposed earlier this year.
A source told The Sun: 'It's a lovely happy ending after she spent years thinking she was going to be arrested for having gay relationships while she was in the Army. It was at a time when homosexuality was still illegal for serving troops.'
Holmes met Cullen, a professional massage therapist, in 2021 through an online fitness community launched during the pandemic. The couple have largely kept their relationship private, but Holmes spoke openly in 2023, saying: 'She loves me for me. I'm just happy.'
The news comes after Holmes made a public appearance with Cullen at Brighton Pride on Saturday. In July, she received an Attitude Pride Europe Icon Award, reflecting on her journey: 'It’s life changing to be able to breathe and feel happy... I am proud of who I am.'
Holmes has previously spoken about the difficulty of hiding her sexuality during her army career, when same-sex relationships were banned. Gay and lesbian personnel have been allowed to serve openly in the British Armed Forces only since 2000.
