Mollie King & Stuart Broad Just Shared The First Pic Of Their Baby

England cricketer Stuart Broad and singer-turned-DJ Mollie King started 2021 off with a bang by announcing their engagement, and welcomed their

While their wedding plans are still up in the air thanks to lockdown and busy schedules, King and Broad shared that expecting their first child. Mollie unveiled the happy update by posting a black and white image of herself and Broad, where he can be seen kissing her blossoming baby bump. Naturally, fans and friends alike were quick to offer their congratulations.

Frankie Bridge, who shared the stage with King in girl group The Saturdays, commented: “Can not wait.” Meanwhile, King’s partner on Radio 1, Matt Edmondson wrote: “Congratulations, guys. What a beautiful picture. That baby has no idea how lucky it is to have you both as parents.” King and Edmondson will be spending much of the summer together as they’re co-hosting Evian’s new Wimbledon: Between The Lines podcast. Meanwhile, King’s former Strictly Come Dancing co-star Neil Jones also commented with a message of congratulations.

It’s safe to say that King and Broad have the support of their families as they enter this new exciting phase, but how did the adorable couple come to be? Scroll on to discover their relationship timeline.

July 2012: Sparks Fly

King broke up with model David Gandy in early 2012. Some time after, she was linked to Broad. According to Metro, the couple were introduced by a mutual friend. However, it would be six years before they took the next step in their relationship.

March 2018: Potentially Dating

Six years after first meeting, King and Broad were rumoured to be an item. The singer had been previously linked to dancer AJ Pritchard, who she was paired with during the fifteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing. As for Broad, he’d just come out of a three-year relationship with lingerie model Bealey Mitchell.

April 2018: Al Fresco Date

On April 23, the couple were spotted enjoying an al fresco dinner date in London after taking King’s toy poodle Alfie for a walk along the River Thames. Almost a week earlier, King spoke to the Daily Star (via The Sun) about how happy she was in her love life — without mentioning Broad, of course. “I love being in love. I literally love being in love,” she said. “I’m so romantic.”

August 2018: The Break Up

After only being together for five months, King and Broad decided to break up. Having unfollowed each other on social media, an insider told The Sun that the split was “amicable” and that their relationship had “fizzled out” because of their packed schedules.

January 2019: No Hard Feelings

On January 17, Broad was spotted on the dating app Raya per The Scottish Sun, listing his job as a cricketer in Nottingham. A week or so later, King opened up about the split, insisting there was “no drama” between her and Broad. “He’s a lovely guy, but our schedules made it hard to see each other,” she told The Mail on Sunday’s You magazine.

February 2019: Reconciliation

Despite Broad’s appearance on Raya, he and King rekindled their romance in February. An insider told the Express that they were “keen to give their relationship another go.”

April 2020: Self-Isolation Heaven

King moves from London to Broad’s Nottingham home so they can self-isolate together during the first lockdown. With her pup Alfie in tow, the couple start sharing moments from their life together on Instagram, including impromptu cricket matches in the garden. “We set up circuits in the garden. Mollie was motivating me to do Pilates with her, and we had a Peloton bike,” Broad told Tatler.

October 2020: First Date Memories

King provided a little hint as to how she and Broad first met, sharing a snap of the couple at one of their first date spots. “I knew he was a keeper when he organised an Alfie-friendly date!” she wrote.

January 2021: The Engagement

After two years of dating, Broad pops the question to King on New Year’s Day. “A thousand times yes,” the singer-songwriter wrote on Instagram. “I still can’t believe it, the most magical start to the new year! I can’t wait to spend all my years with you, Stuart Broad.” Likewise, the cricketer shared his excitement. “The best way to start 2021,” he wrote.

April 2021: Engagement Celebrations & Tatler Photoshoot

A few months after their engagement, the couple finally got the chance to celebrate. “It may be a little late, but it felt like such a treat to eat out and we loved every minute,” King shared on Instagram.

The newly engaged couple took part in a stunning photoshoot for Tatler, where they discussed their pre-wedding nerves. “We want it to be relaxed and chilled, and a really fun party,” King said. As for Broad, he’s understandably nervous. “I think there might be some weird debutant nerves, like I had when I was 21,” he said.

May 2021: Wanting To Start A Family

Speaking to OK! Magazine in May, King expressed how she wants to start a family with Broad. “It’s something I have always, always wanted. I want a really big family, actually,” she said. “My biggest dream of everything is to fall in love and I feel so lucky that I have met Stuart.”

June 2022: Wedding Plans & Pregnancy Announcement

Despite being engaged for a year, the couple still haven’t set a date for their wedding. They were hoping to tie the knot last summer, but that didn’t work out in the end. “It’s obviously been a tricky time to plan a wedding,” Broad told the Express, adding that 2021 “just felt too risky, that it might get cancelled” because of lockdown.

And as 2022 rolled around, they came to realise just how busy their schedules were. “Now everything is booked up, so we’re having to play a slight patience game at the moment,” he said. “But it’s certainly at the forefront of our minds and it will happen at the beginning of next year.”

Not long after that interview, the couple announced they are expecting their first child. “Stuart and I are so, so happy to share that we’re expecting a baby later this year!” King wrote on Instagram. “We’re absolutely over the moon.” Broad added on his own profile, writing: “Mollie and I are thrilled to be expecting a baby at the end of the year.”

November 2022: Baby Joy

Making the safe arrival of their daughter public knowledge, King and Broad posted a joint Instagram announcement showing them both cuddling their baby girl, dressed in a teddy-like suit by the river. “"Welcome to the world Annabella Broad. We have never been so in love," the caption read. The exact date of birth is not known, however. And as for the meaning of the name, well, it is as cute her outfit. Of French origin, Annabella means “favoured grace.”