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Singer Mariah Carey to marry Australian billionaire James Packer

Story highlights
  • Packer proposed to Carey, according to the billionaire's close friend
  • The couple met in Aspen a couple of years ago, but got together last year

(CNN) The whirlwind romance between Mariah Carey and James Packer just got serious.

The Australian billionaire is said to have proposed to the American singer, seven months after they were first seen cozying up on a holiday in Italy.

"A close friend of Mr. Packer confirmed the couple were engaged and said they were over the moon that James has found such happiness with Mariah," a source told CNN.

Worth about $3.5 billion, Packer, 48, is Australia's fourth richest man, according to the Forbes Rich List. His family made millions through the media industry, before Packer turned to casinos. He owns one of Australia's gaming and entertainment groups, Crown Resorts.

Carey, 45, has dominated the entertainment industry for decades and is one of the best-selling music artists of all time.

On a U.S. talk show, she described how they got together.

"We first met in Aspen, a couple of years ago. We met at the Hercules premiere. We were talking and laughing and people were getting mad at us and stuff like that. So we hit it off," Carey said.

READ MORE: Rupert Murdoch to marry Jerry Hall

CNN's Yazhou Sun contributed to this report.
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