Weddings Ioan Gruffudd Is Engaged to Girlfriend Bianca Wallace: 'The Most Precious Thing Happened' Gruffudd confirmed his relationship with Wallace in an October 2021 Instagram post By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. People Editorial Guidelines Published on January 21, 2024 09:30AM EST Close Ioan Gruffudd and Bianca Wallace. Photo: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images Ioan Gruffudd is engaged! The actor, 50, proposed to his girlfriend Bianca Wallace, the pair announced in a joint Instagram post on Saturday. "The most precious thing happened… ❤️💍," Gruffudd and Wallace, 31, wrote in their caption alongside a sweet photo of the pair. In the image shared, the couple were captured embracing as Wallace held up her hand to show off her engagement ring. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Most Jaw-Dropping Celebrity Engagement Rings Gruffudd's engagement news comes about after the actor filed for divorce from Alice Evans in March 2021. The pair — who share two daughters, Ella and Elsie — met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, and were married in 2007. In a joint statement obtained by PEOPLE at the time of the separation announcement, the two said, "As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy." Gruffudd then confirmed his relationship with Wallace in October 2021 through a post shared on Instagram. "Thank you for making me smile again @iambiancawallace ❤️💫💙," he wrote alongside a happy snapshot of the pair. His divorce from Evans, 55, was later finalized in July 2023, according to documentation previously obtained by PEOPLE from the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Ioan Gruffudd and Bianca Wallace. David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images Ioan Gruffudd and Girlfriend Bianca Wallace Seen on Park Outing as Actor Finalizes Contentious Divorce In the years since after their split, Gruffudd and Evans were involved in a contentious legal back-and-forth about subjects including child custody and domestic violence claims. Last year, the former spouses' older daughter Ella said she feared abuse from her father’s girlfriend in a restraining order she filed against Wallace. She also filed a restraining order against her actor father. Following a hearing on June 23, a temporary restraining order was reissued, according to court documentation obtained by PEOPLE. Gruffudd and Wallace did not respond to PEOPLE's request for comment at the time.