Perrie Edwards and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain love story – how the quiet footy star healed her from heartache

When Little Mix star Perrie introduced her beau Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to her 13.4 million Instagram followers in February 2017 with a cute snap of them kissing in front of the Eiffel Tower, fans couldn’t help but comment on how cute the couple were. 

She had to kiss a few frogs in the process, but Little Mix singer Perrie, 28, finally found her Prince in the form of England and Liverpool footballer Alex, also 28.

Perrie made the relationship public in February 2017

But this picture perfect couple – who’ve faced time apart, life in different cities and famous exes – have had the ultimate fairytale journey – plus, the footy star healed her heartache. 

When it comes to love, the South Shields-born singer didn’t have the easiest of rides – and her high-profile romance with One Direction bandmate Zayn hit headlines everywhere.

Alex, on the other hand, stayed relatively away from the spotlight as he focused on his football career.

So has Perrie found her prince charming and put a flurry of failed relationships behind her?

PAST HEARTACHE

Perrie and Zayn Malik were the pop power-couple when they started dating in 2012.

The former One Direction singer took their fairytale romance even further when he popped the question to Perrie a year later in August 2013.

He even got a tattoo of Perrie on his arm. But things came to an abrupt end when the couple announced their split in July 2015.

The Little Mix singer later revealed he actually dumped her by text! (OUCH). Following their break-up, she embraced single life. 

In March 2016, she told the Daily Star: “There is no rush at all for us to be dating – we’re just enjoying ourselves. I always say I like my own company — to the point where that person would have to compete.

“I love doing my own thing — it just makes me feel independent. I don’t think a woman should ever feel the need for a man.”

Getting over her broken heart, Perrie and her Little Mix bandmates, wrote the now famous track ‘Shout Out To My Ex’, with many fans thinking the song was aimed at Zayn.

Everyone was then rooting for Perrie in love after her complicated relationship with Zayn and luckily, that’s when Alex came along.

A chapter from Little Mix’s memoir ‘Our Life’ included a passage where Perrie talked about the breakup and Zayn’s decision to end their engagement by text message. 

She wrote: “It was horrible, the worst time in my life. A four-year relationship, two year engagement ended by a simple text message. Just like that.

“Even though things in my career were going really well, it was incredibly difficult for me.”

InstagramAfter a very public break up with Zayn, Alex healed Perrie’s heartache[/caption]

MEETING

The couple have kept pretty quiet about their first official meeting, but it’s thought to be sometime during 2016.

Footie player, Alex, actually met the rest of the Little Mix ladies during an interview on BT Sport in 2015 where Perrie was unable to attend.

It wasn’t until November 2016 that Chamberlain and Edwards were first linked. Then in December, Alex was spotted in the audience when Little Mix went to perform on the X-Factor.

In January 2017, Edwards appeared to confirm the relationship by uploading a picture to her Instagram account of the Liverpool ace with her dogs.

However the snap was later deleted but Perrie reconfirmed their romance with the adorable Eiffel Tower snap in February. 

Chamberlain previously joked that he doesn’t want to become the subject of a Little Mix song. 

He told The Sun On Sunday: “I better watch out! ‘I don’t want her to become an ex and sing about me. Probably something about Arsenal being rubbish. I better look after her.” 

The pair share a loving look

GLAM HOLIDAYS 

February was also the month the couple decided to step out together at the BRITS. 

Little Mix won British Single for ‘Shout Out To My Ex’. A few months later, the couple jetted off for their first romantic getaway in June 2017 to St Lucia.

Throughout their relationship, it has become clear the couple love taking incredible trips together. They often share glimpses inside their holidays on their social media pages. 

 In August 2018, they jetted off to Mykonos in Greece for a trip of a lifetime.

They also enjoyed a dreamy holiday to Ibiza in summer 2019 and Perrie documented their luxurious trip on Instagram.

Perrie uploaded three gorgeous photos of the couple joking around against a sunset and wrote: “He never takes photo ops seriously… If you can’t beat em, join em!”

Instgram/perrieedwardsPerrie looked sun kissed and loved up on holidays[/caption]

Instgram/perrieedwardsBut the pair also love an adventure[/caption]

Instagram / @perrieedwardsAlex and Perrie both looked stunning as they lived it up on a boat[/caption]

FOOTBALL WAG

Perrie has always supported Alex in his football career. She played the role of a supportive girlfriend in August 2017 as she watched Alex’s former team Arsenal play in The FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium.

A month later, Alex transferred from Arsenal to Liverpool. Perrie was once again cheering from the sidelines when Liverpool played in the Champions League Final in June 2019. 

When Alex’s football team were crowned the champions of the English Premier League last year, Perrie gushed about her footballer beau. 

She wrote on her Instagram Story: “This picture makes me so happy! HE makes me so happy!” 

RUMOURED SPLIT 

However, the couple were plagued by split rumours last year when Alex relocated to Liverpool after making the move from Arsenal to Liverpool.

But despite the distance, the pair have proved their relationship is still going strong. Perrie opened up to The Mirror about their long-distance relationship.

She said: “ I don’t think it will be difficult. It’s going to be different – but that’s not a problem. We’ll be fine. I’m just really happy for him and very proud.”

A year earlier, Perrie had joked that the couple almost broke up after a competitive game of Articulate. 

She told Radio One: “We had date night, it was competitive, it got out of hand.

“I swear to God I thought he was going to dump me – and I thought I was going to dump him. If you think I’m competitive, you should meet him.” 

InstagramDespite false rumours, the couple stayed strong[/caption]

ENGAGEMENT TYPO

Then engagement rumours started swirling for the loved-up duo when Perrie accidentally spelled Alex’s name wrong in November 2019. 

In an attempt to praise her hunky beau on her Instagram story, eagle-eyed fans spotted that Perrie spelled Alex’s name wrong. 

After realising her error, she teased: “It’ll be way easier to spell when it’s my second name and I have to write it all the time.”

During an appearance on The Jonathan Ross Show last year, Perrie also hinted that she’s ready for Alex to get down on one knee.  

The Little Mix girls and Joe Wicks were discussing proposals. Perrie chimed in: “I’d like it to be the traditional way. I hope he’s watching this and heard Joe’s incredible story. Four years we’ve been together!” 

Refer to CaptionPerrie accidentally sparked rumours when she implied she’d have his last name someday[/caption]

LIFE IN LOCKDOWN 

The couple’s popularity grew during lockdown as they posted videos on social media to entertain fans.

Speaking about their isolation, the Little Mix star told Kiss Radio: “I’ve been singing a little bit, I’ve been cooking a lot because my boyfriend is never full, like try isolating with an athlete!

“Trying to ration your food and every five seconds ‘I’m hungry! I’m hungry again. Can I have some food now?’ I’m like, seriously?

“I’ve been baking, which I never do. I baked a banana bread cake the other day.”

Perrie also appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and likened being in lockdown with Alex to having a ‘child with Coca Cola and a whole bag of sweets.’

The singer posted a video of the couple doing a TikTok dance routine, which went viral.

She told the show: It took me a good while. Alex learned straight away because he’s annoyingly good at everything, so he got it straight away and I just kept getting it wrong. 

“He’s really good at stuff like that, but I kept getting scared on the stairs, like if I fell and broke an ankle. But it was really fun when we got it, it was brilliant.”

Alex also gave a glimpse into his opinion on isolating with Perrie during the coronavirus pandemic and he couldn’t help but admire his loving partner. 

A fan questioned if Perrie was annoying him but his answer showed just how much he loves her. He replied: “She has been tremendous during quarantine. She’s a proper house wifey. 

“She’s been cleaning up, cooking every day, meals have been unbelievable. She doesn’t get annoyed with me playing the Playstation. She’s top, I love her!”

Instgram/perrieedwardsThe couple went viral for dancing around the house during lockdown[/caption]

BABY BOMBSHELL

The couple then revealed their most exciting news yet in May 2021 – just days after Perrie’s Little Mix band mate Leigh-Anne Pinnock announced her pregnancy. 

Her and Alex confirmed they were expecting their first child together, sharing some cute snaps of the footy star lovingly cradling Perrie’s blossoming bump.

Perrie announced:  “So happy to be on this wild journey with my soulmate Me + Him = You. We can’t wait to meet you baby Ox!”

The couple introduced their son in August 2021 and two weeks later, announced they’d decided to call him Axel Oxlade-Chamberlain.

She revealed: “2 weeks of loving you. I’ve never felt love like this before! Axel Oxlade-Chamberlain.”

Social Media – Refer to SourcePerrie gave birth to baby Axel three weeks early[/caption]

InstagramPerrie says she has never felt love like this before[/caption]

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