James Hetfield Announces Underwater Proposal to Adriana Gillett
Metallica frontman James Hetfield has announced his engagement to Adriana Gillett after proposing during an underwater shark dive. The news was shared on March 15, with the band posting an underwater photo of the couple as Hetfield held up a sign asking Gillett to marry him.
The band captioned the image “She said yes!”, and Gillett also posted the same shot to Instagram, describing it as the “BEST birthday trip surprise” after swimming with whale sharks on Friday the 13th.
In her message, Ms. Gillett called the moment “unique, special, and romantic,” adding, “In a sea full of fish, we caught each other. Thank you God for putting us together.” The post marked the first public confirmation of the engagement by the couple.
The announcement comes after Hetfield’s 2022 divorce from his wife of 25 years, Francesca, with whom he shares three children. Metallica’s touring history has previously included periods where the band adjusted to life offstage when Hetfield was unavailable, including a stretch where Metallica needed help to perform without James Hetfield.
Hetfield has spoken openly in recent years about anxiety, addiction recovery, and the pressure of performing at stadium level, and the engagement news adds a personal milestone for the singer as Metallica continue their current era of activity.
