Lionel Richie Gushes About Daughter Sofia's Engagement

Music icon Lionel Richie is on cloud nine as his beloved daughter Sofia Richie celebrated a milestone recently.

Last week, the young model and her boyfriend of one year, Elliot Grainge, took their relationship to the next level, and this is how her father feels about the whole thing.

As The Blast reported, on April 20, Sofia and Grainge got engaged. The 23-year-old broke the fantastic news on Instagram, giving fans a glimpse of her blinding ring.

She uploaded two photos of her stunning outdoor proposal, which saw Grainge pop the big question on one knee. The lovebirds were surrounded by a romantic decoration of white flowers and candles in glass jars.

Loose flower petals were scattered to give the proposal a cozy vibe. The soon-to-be bride was prepared for the significant event donning a gorgeous yet simple yellow floral sundress paired with designer slippers.

She styled her hair into a sleek bun and accessorized with gold jewelry to spice up her look. Grainge, on the other hand, looked casual in a brown shirt and white pants.

The heartwarming proposal happened against a background of the blue sunset with palm trees in view. A blushing Sofia looked visibly shocked as she covered her mouth while Grainge proposed.

In the follow-up slide, Sofia showed off her huge emerald-cut diamond ring while sharing a sweet kiss with her fiance. She fondly captioned the post, "Forever isn’t long enough @elliot."

The post was filled with several congratulatory messages from fans and colleagues wishing the lovebirds a happy life together.

Sofia and Grainge, the son of Lucian Grainge, the CEO of Universal Music Group, first began dating in April 2021. Before the engagement, sources close to the couple shared they had been working towards settling down for a while.

They have talked about getting engaged, and it’s something that Sofia wants and is looking forward to. They are a great match, and it’s going really well. Sofia and Elliot currently live together, and the adjustment has been so easy and seamless," the source said to E! News in November 2021.

The insider also noted that Sofia's father was a huge fan of their romance from the very moment it began.

Days after news of the engagement broke, proud dad Lionel spoke to Access Hollywood about how the music executive asked for his blessing to marry his daughter.

The "Stuck On You" singer said, "He was a nervous wreck, poor guy. I thought he was going to pass out, but he survived it."

He continued, "I was going to rib him a little bit, but I didn’t want to play, he was going to faint." However, the taunting aside, Lionel described the engagement as "wonderful," noting his daughter and her fiance are "deeply in love."

"So all I can say is, that’s what you really want as a dad," Lionel heartily remarked. As for his daughter's choice of her future husband, the 72-year-old confessed he was 100% at peace with Grainge because of their history.

In his words, "I have to be honest with you, it was a slippery slope for a moment. I love Elliot. I’ve known him since he was 12, how about that? So, it’s one of those things where I don’t have to go back and check out the kid. I know who he is."

Lionel's confidence in the 28-yea-old caused him to tell the interviewer that he is assured his daughter is in "good hands."

Sofia and Grainge are yet to unveil wedding plans, but with dad Lionel's full blessing it sure seems that the lovebirds are in for a wonderful future together.