This is a bit of a sticky one. You've gone out of your way to say, although you love your boyfriend, and are ready to have his kids, you are unwilling to marry him as your mother's been through a slew of untidy divorces.
Then, low and behold, he proposes to you live on a breakfast radio show in Australia. You say yes, and request a look at the ring. You're given a temporary one (comandeered off one of the broadcasters in the studio, no less) just as a landslide of congratulatory messages start making their ways to you from friends, family and complete strangers.
Then your boyfriend's spokesperson releases this statement: "He did say it, but he did it in a jocular manner. They are not engaged." Sound.
Of Robbie William's "proposal" to his long term girlfriend/beard Ayda Field, sources said: "Earlier this week, the show's hosts revealed on Twitter that Robbie was coming in and had a 'surprise up his sleeve' for Ayda."
OooOoooh, a mock proposal in front of the world's media - SURPRISE!!! Your boyfriend isn't at all a dickhead - how much fun!
If this is his way of getting her to realise he's marriage material he's definitely relegating himself to a life on his tobler. Mock proposals are rarely a source of amusement - they send the 'fight or flight' mechanism into overdrive or cause soul destroying disappointment. Heart failure is on the cards either way and that's technically attempted murder.
UPDATE: Robbie's mother, Jan, appears to think her son is indeed going to wed after he informed her as much about a week ago: "I've always wanted a daughter-in-law. I don't think it will be that far in the not-too-distant future, but that's all I'm going to say on that. I'm very excited. I'm really pleased. They've been together for nearly three years, so it's about time. She's a great mate, as well as a lover (aaaw, what a really appropriate thing for a mother-in-law-to-be to say). She's got all the qualities that he needs in a girl. It's a lovely match." A match made in blatant PR stunt heaven.