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The singer and artist known as ‘Bahrain Barbie’, Tamar Leek, and her ‘Ken’ - investment banker Charles Benoit Dubois - have announced their engagement.
It marks the next chapter in their whirlwind romance.
The couple, as reported earlier in GulfWeekly, have taken their love story from the vibrant streets of Bahrain to their new beachfront home in Abu Dhabi, and now, to an unforgettable engagement that feels straight out of a fairytale.
Their first date in Bahrain was nothing short of magical, with Tamar instantly struck by Charles’ charm, intelligence and old-fashioned gentlemanly ways.
“I remember thinking he was too good to be true,” Tamar recalled.
That night, Charles joined Tamar at her regular singing residency in Adliya, where he heard her perform for the first time.
He seemed mesmerised and despite her efforts to keep things low-key in her place of work, he would still show up every week.
Their relationship moved quickly, yet deeply, with Charles asking Tamar to be his girlfriend within weeks.
Just a month later, he introduced her to his father, a meeting that Tamar commemorated with a hand-painted portrait of the two of them at Bahrain Fort.
“His father was so touched by it,” she says, reflecting the genuine bond between father and son.
During a trip to the UK for Tamar’s sister’s wedding, Charles took a significant step — he asked her father for her hand in marriage.
“I had wanted to marry Charles after just three months,” Tamar admitted.
“I knew he was the one. But after such a big move to Abu Dhabi, I hoped he would ask soon.”
The night of the proposal was everything Tamar had hoped for - intimate, romantic, and deeply personal. Knowing that Tamar didn’t want an audience or an overly public gesture, Charles booked out the entire Sontaya restaurant at the St Regis Resort, Saadiyat Abu Dhabi.
Charles delivered a heartfelt speech. “I was completely lost in his words,” she said. “Then he got down on one knee.”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Tamar was speechless. “I couldn’t speak for a few minutes. Tears were streaming down my face. Then I blurted out, ‘Yes! A million times. yes!’”
When Charles opened the ring box, Tamar’s breath was caught. “Since I was young, I’ve always dreamt of a fancy yellow pear-shaped diamond,” she said. “And there it was - the most incredible 3.5-carat fancy intense yellow diamond, with two white heart-shaped diamonds on either side, set in gold and platinum.”
A jewellery expert told GulfWeekly that the ring has an estimated value of $45,000 to $50,000 and described it as a stunning symbol of love.
She laughed, “If I ever fall into the sea, I’ll definitely sink to the bottom!”
