Classmates vote couple with Down syndrome as their prom king and queen -- Aleteia

And the couple are determined to wed.

To be nominated as prom king and queen is a dream for many young adolescents. So when 16-year-old sweethearts Dylan Hughes and Amelie Barker found out they’d been voted by their class peers to be the royal couple for the evening, they were “really chuffed” (a British term meaning “thrilled to bits”). What makes this nomination even more meaningful is that both Dylan and Amelie have Down syndrome.

The two pupils from Monmouth Comprehensive school in Ross-on-Wye in England attended their end-of-year dance looking picture perfect. Although Amelie was dressed in a pretty floral prom dress and Dylan in a smart tuxedo, the couple’s radiant smiles were perhaps what stood out the most in the photo.

Well, it’s taken a while for the BBC to catch up with our lovely Prom King and Queen pic.twitter.com/MB3Vhsoou3
— Monmouth Comprehensive School (@LearnWithMCS) July 16, 2019

Having known each other since they were three, the two have only started dating in the last six months. “It has very much been driven by the two of them — they told us they were boyfriend and girlfriend and that they want to get married eventually. It’s all been planned out,” Amelie’s mom, Katharina shared with the BBC.

And the future looks very bright for this loving couple. Dylan, a huge sports enthusiast who’s competed in Swimming World Championships in Canada, has set his sights on playing rugby for Wales or becoming a physical education teacher. Whereas his sweetheart, Amelie, is beginning a course in childcare this coming September. “She very much likes to work with children — she has a real knack for it,” explains her mom.

The real success behind this inspiring love story perhaps comes from the pair’s supportive family. Moms Katharina and Victoria met when their children were very young and 10 years ago decided to create a charity, 21 Plus, that aims to offer support for families who have children with Down syndrome.

Now that their children will no longer be attending the same school, the families are determined to help these lovebirds make their dreams come true. So who knows, perhaps the next picture perfect portrait will be of Dylan and his bride on their wedding day!