Rita Ora dropped a surprise reveal on her recent visit on Davina McCall’s “Begin Again” podcast. The pop star revealed that she, not her partner Taika Waititi, planned the proposal, booked a luxury suite in Palm Springs, and knelt on one knee. The confession reignited an old debate about who should pop the question and whether flipping tradition changes power in a relationship. To widen the lens, observers instantly compared Ora’s story with actor Jodie Turner-Smith’s 2019 proposal to then–boyfriend Joshua Jackson, a union that ended in divorce two years ago.

A Surprise Palm Springs Proposal

Ora told listeners that she filled the hotel room with heart-shaped balloons, slipped custom rings into her bag, and asked Waititi to marry her. He accepted on the spot, and they married at home a few months later. Ora called the move “locking him down,” insisting she simply took action rather than waiting for a question that might never come. Her account stayed private until now, nearly three years after their August 2022 wedding.

Online reactions arrived in two waves. Supporters praised the singer for claiming agency and treating commitment as a mutual decision. Critics countered that the gesture looked “desperate” and reversed the pursuit that many still see as a male role. Commenters repeated a familiar line: “If he wanted to, he would.” Relationship coaches added another layer, warning that women who plan grand proposals risk shouldering extra emotional labor and could later hear, “You asked me, remember?”

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Echoes Of Jodie Turner Smith And Joshua Jackson

Jodie Turner-Smith faced similar scrutiny when she proposed to Joshua Jackson during a New Year’s Eve trip to Nicaragua. Fans knew Jackson had long said marriage and children were not priorities, yet he accepted. Detractors branded Turner-Smith “pushy” and claimed her initiative masked unequal enthusiasm. Turner-Smith filed for divorce in October 2023, and the court finalized it in May 2025, fueling skeptics in the debate over woman-led proposals.

However, not all stories end this way. Kristen Bell proposed to Dax Shepard after same-sex marriage was legalized, and they’ve been married since 2013. Pink proposed to Carey Hart mid-race with a pit board that read “Will You Marry Me?” They’ve weathered ups and downs and remain a united couple. “Succession” star Sarah Snook proposed to comedian Dave Lawson in 2020, and the two are now married. Even Queen Victoria, according to historical accounts, proposed to Prince Albert because as monarch, she had to. These examples show that when both partners are aligned, a woman taking the lead can result in a lasting, supportive marriage.

  • Jodie Turner-Smith wearing a silver cut-out gown poses with Joshua Jackson in a tuxedo at the Met Gala, their hands linked as cameras flash behind them.
  • Kristen Bell in a black sequined suit stands beside Dax Shepard in a black tuxedo as they pose on the Golden Globes red carpet.
  • Sarah Snook in a white blazer with black lapels smiles beside husband Dave Lawson, both dressed in formal attire at a public event.
  • Pink wearing a floral yellow blouse stands next to Carey Hart in a black suit at a red carpet event, both smiling for the camera.

Final Thoughts on Women Proposing to Men

Rita Ora’s tale shows that female proposals are no longer rare, yet each instance still stirs questions about readiness, power, and tradition. For some couples, flipping the script works. For others, it exposes mismatched intentions. Whether a proposal comes from him or her, long-term success seems to rest on shared timing, clear communication, and equal commitment. Until those basics become universal, every headline like Ora’s will keep the argument alive, and keep readers asking who should kneel next.

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