Prince William is reportedly planning to propose to girlfriend Kate Middleton in the next few weeks - and his younger brother Prince Harry is already said to have popped the question to Chelsy Davy.

According to the People newspaper, William is planning to use one of his mother Princess Diana’s favourite rings for the engagement and has already asked his uncle, Diana’s brother Earl Spencer for permission to do so.

A source told the newspaper: “William is sure his mother would have approved of Kate. So he approached his uncle to see what he thought of the idea.”

“Using one of Diana’s rings is the greatest symbol William can think of to show how important Kate is. It will also keep his mother’s memory to the fore on his big day. Assuming Kate accepts, it will be like a union of the two most important women in his life.”

The source added that while the couple are currently holidaying together on an exclusive island in the Seychelles, William is more likely to propose at the royal estate in Balmoral, Scotland: “Balmoral has special memories for them because it’s where they used to sneak off for discreet weekends when they were students at St Andrews.”

“It is where the romance started. William thought it would be the place with the most meaning to them.”

Meanwhile, Prince Harry is said to have proposed to Chelsy during a recent safari holiday in Botswana.

A source told the Sunday Mirror that the couple pledged to marry when Chelsy has finished her postgraduate degree - and will hold off announcing the engagement until then: “Harry and Chelsy are serious about each other and are both keen to make more of a commitment.”

“Neither of them can imagine living without the other. It’s just a question of how and when it will happen.”

Chelsy, who was born in Zimbabwe, currently lives in South Africa but is thought to be enrol at the University of Leeds next month to study politics - and be closer to Harry.

The source, claiming to be a friend of the Prince, went on: “[Harry] has also come to realise that what he and Chelsy have is pretty special. It’s natural they would want to settle down.”

“[But] for now he does not want her to be a public figure and they both want time for their relationship to develop as normally as possible. It will be 18 months down the line before they go public about their engagement.”