WHEN Sophie Rhys-Jones and Prince Edward announced their engagement on Tuesday, January 5, the whole country rejoiced.

About 220-or-so miles down the M1, two more families were also celebrating some good news.

Helen Kennedy and her fiance, Matthew Smith announced their engagement in the BEN on the same day as Miss Rhys-Jones and her Prince - who's seventh in line to the throne.

Although their were no popping flashbulbs from the world's press, no bulletins on the six o'clock news and no formal statements from the happy couple, Helen and Matthew's plans are not that dissimilar to those of Sophie and Edward - albeit on a much smaller scale.

"They're getting married before us," smiles Helen - a pretty 20-year-old travel agent from Heaton, "Matthew and I plan to wed in the year 2001 - we need that long to save up," she giggles. "I believe Sophie and Edward are marrying this spring."

Like the Royal couple, Helen and Matthew - a 21-year-old mechanic from Smithills - have been together a good few years.

"We met seven years ago," she remembers, "at a friends house. We started going out with each other but we argued quite a lot at the beginning - over really silly things.

"We even broke up a couple of times - once for a whole year - but the last time we got back together we knew it was for keeps."

Helen, who works at Althams Travel Services in Bolton's Market Street, says she hadn't a clue about Prince Edward's engagement announcement until a friend pointed it out.

She laughs: "The only real similarity, apart from announcing it on the same day, is that we've been a couple for a long time."

But it seems that Matthew's proposal to Helen came completely out of the blue - just like Prince Edward's.

"I hadn't got a clue," she smiles, "I thought I was getting a handbag, CDs and some underwear for Christmas but I got an engagement ring as well." Romantic Matthew chose the ring himself - a sparkling solitaire from Preston's of Bolton- and, although he didn't go down on one knee, he did the proper thing and proposed formally on December, 22 last year.

"He just said 'will you marry me'," blushes Helen, "and of course I said 'yes'."

The couple haven't decided where they will marry but, while Sophie Rhys-Jones and Prince Edward stake their claim to a small family affair at St George's Chapel, Windsor, Helen is insistent she wants the "full works" - white dress, church service, large reception and a Caribbean honeymoon. "I suppose I work in the right place for that," she giggles.

And what about THE DRESS - surely the most important thing to any girl.

"Well," muses Helen, "I haven't really thought about the style yet but I want it to be white - a real fairytale dress."

This is where Helen definitely has a much freer reign than Miss Rhys-Jones who, because of royal protocol, will no doubt show a touch more restraint in her choice of gown.

Also, at 33, the PR professional is less likely to opt for a "meringue", something that will please her new in-laws no doubt.

Helen is confident that whatever she chooses her future in-laws will love it.

"I get on really well with Matthew's parents," she says, "so there's no problem there."

She adds: "I don't envy Sophie Rhys-Jones - I mean all those photographers and TV crews filming your wedding, no I wouldn't like that at all.

"I'm sure a bride and groom are nervous enough as it is - all that attention would only make me worse and, after all, it's OUR day.

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