♪ they say it's your birthday this is "nightline." >> tonight, an american princess. actress meghan markle now engaged to the most eligible bachelor in the world, prince harry. >> i could barely let you finish proposal. i was like, can i say yes now? >> she wouldn't let me finish. >> the happy couple looking back on their fairy tale long-distance romance. >> when i walked in that room and saw her, i thought i'm really going to have to up my game. >> and the symbolic tribute to his mother, princess diana, embedded right there in the ring. plus, spa mistreatment? more than 180 people reportedly alleging sexual assault during treatments at massage envy franchises. >> i was just totally traumatized. the sadness, pain, sobbing. >> we're with two women

describing disturbing details of their alleged experiences. >> the end of the massage he leaned over and whispered in my ear, "our little secret. okay?" >> inside the lawsuits and who could be held responsible. but first the "nightline" 5. and number 1 is com

good evening. and we begin here tonight with a thoroughly modern fairy tale. the newest soon to be member of the british royal family is an american. the actress meghan markle who is now engaged to be married to prince harry. here's abc's chief foreign correspondent terry moran. >> reporter: it's a love story made for the movies. american actress meghan markle newly engaged to britain's most eligible bachelor, prince harry. >> how are you guys feeling? >> thrilled. >> reporter: their engagement breaking all the traditional rules of the british monarchy. meghan is divorced, from a mixed race background, and an american commoner. >> just an amazing surprise. it was so sweet. >> reporter: in their first ever interview together the couple gushed about that magical moment harry popped the question during a quiet night in while making dinner. >> he got on one knee. >> of course. >> was it an instant yes from you? >> yes. as a matter of fact, i could barely let you finish proposing. i was like can i say yes now?

>> she wouldn't even let me finish. then there was hugs, and i had the ring in my finger. i said can i give you the ring? he should said oh, yes, the ring. >> reporter: it's a big moment for the young prince, that little boy who we all watched grow up, always smiling by his mother's side, and then unforgettably standing beside his brother. prince harry paid tribute to his mother diana in the engagement ring he gave to meghan. a three-diamond stunner. >> the main stone itself i sored from botswana. and the little diamonds on the side are from my mother's jewelry collection to make sure she's with us on this crazy journey together. >> obviously, not being able to meet his mom, it's so important to me to know that she's a part of this with us. >> reporter: the pair only started dating about a year and a half ago. >> we first met, we were introduced actually by a mutual friend. >> it was definitely a setup. it was a blind date. >> it was a blind date. >> i'd never even heard about her until this friend said meghan markle. i was like, right, okay, give me a bit of background. i was beautifully surprised when

i walked walked into that room and saw her. there she was sitting there. i was like, okay, i'm really going to have to up my game. >> i had one question. i said is he nice? because if he wasn't kind it just didn't -- it didn't seem like it would make sense. and so we went and had a -- met for a drink and i think very quickly into that we said what are we doing tomorrow? we should meet again. >> i think about three, maybe four weeks later that i managed to persuade her to come and join me in botswana, and we camped out with each other under the stars. >> reporter: the 36-year-old actress is no stranger to the spotlight, starring in the tv legal drama "suits" for the past seven seasons. >> i want to get married. but i also really care about what i do. >> reporter: showbiz is in meghan's blood. born in los angeles, her father thomas is an emmy award-winning lighting director. her mom, doria-s a social worker and yoga instructor. they split when she was just 2 years old. but she told "vanity fair" in september, "i never saw them

fight. we would still take vacations together. my dad would come on sundays to drop me off and we'd watch "jeopardy" eating dinner on tv trays, the three of us. we were still so close-knit." on social media meghan often posts throwback photos of her parents. >> meghan comes from very humble beginnings. this is probably one of the most ordinary families that we have seen marry into such a high level at the royal family. >> reporter: markle attend an all girls catholic high school before heading off to northwestern university double majoring in theater and international studies. she returned to california landing minor guest roles on shows like "general hospital" and "csi." >> but i didn't kill him. >> reporter: but she got her big break cast as a regular on "suits." >> and i get it. i'm not good enough. what i don't get, mike, is why you didn't have the courage to just come and tell me that yourself. >> with the filming schedule it was not the easiest because it of course included a lot of travel back and forth. >> you had -- the last year and a half. >> no. >> reporter: but despite

meghan's on-screen presence all the attention that comes with dating a prince was overwhelming. >> i tried to warn you as much as possible but i think both of us were totally surprised by the reaction. >> there's a misconception that because i have worked in the entertainment industry that this would be something i would be familiar with, but we were just hit so hard at the beginning with a lot of mistruths that i made the choice to not read anything. >> reporter: meghan became 2016's most googled actress. amidst all the chatter online there were some who went after meghan's ethnicity. her mom is black. her dad is black. >> of course it's disheartening. at the end of the day i'm really just proud of who i am and where i come from. and we have never put any focus on that. >> reporter: there was also attention in the tabloids about the fact that meghan has been married before, to film producer trevor engleson. not long ago that kind of back story would have prevented a royal engagement. back in 1936 king edward viii abdicated the throne because he wanted to marry wallis simpson, a divorced american, paving the

way for his brother, king george vi -- >> long may he reign. >> prince harry's great grandfather. the scandal immortalized in the oscar-winning film "the king's speech." >> a few hours ago i discharged my last duty as king and emperor. >> the empire was horrified at the idea that they were going to have an american as queen empress who had been divorced and this was not acceptable. nobody cares about that stuff now. >> reporter: meghan says she's felt very welcomed by the royal family. the official announcement coming from her soon to be father-in-law prince charles. >> no, we're thrilled, thank you very much. >> reporter: she's even met the queen. >> it's incredible. i think, a, to be able to meet her through his lens, not just with his honor and respect for her as the monarch but the love that he has for her as his grandmother. >> i've been sitting here for a period of time when i literally didn't tell anybody at all, and then william was going to meet her and so was catherine.

so you know, they're neighbors. we managed to get out a couple of -- quite a few times now. and catherine's been absolutely -- >> wonderful. >> amazing. >> reporter: meghan's parents also approving of the match despite all the unexpected attention. >> well, i'm sure the onset, both my parents and my close friends were concerned, but they also had never seen me so happy. and i think also once my friends were able to really meet harry and my mom, who we spent a lot of time with, it was so much fun. >> your mom's amazing. >> he's talked to my dad a few times. it's been worth the effort. >> reporter: as for what diana would have thought about meghan -- >> i think she would have been over the moon jumping up and down so excited for me. but then as i said would have probably been best friends, best friends with meghan. it is days like today when i really miss having her around and miss being able to share the happy news. but you know, with the ring and

everything else going on i'm sure -- >> she's with us. >> i'm sure she's with us, yeah. >> reporter: like diana prince harry is hugely popular, at home in the uk and around the world. >> prince harry is after the queen the most popular member of the royal family. if harry plays it right with meghan the two of them could be the superstar royals. >> reporter: that could be in part thanks to his, shall we say, less formal public persona. while the now 33-year-old is ready to settle down, in his 20s harry was much more likely to make headlines as a wild child. the playboy prince. starring in some of the royal family's most embarrassing headlines like the time he was photographed at a party in las vegas naked. >> actually, we're worried now that he might become a bit boring like his brother if he just settles down and sits down in jumpers eating againi bolognese. >> reporter: harry admitted all that behavior was in part a reaction to losing his mom. >> i really regret never talking about it. for the first 28 years of my life. never talked about it. >> reporter: in a candid

interview with my colleague robin roberts he opened up about how diana's death changed him. >> i think losing your mother at such a young age does end up shaping your life massively. of course it does. and now i find myself trying to be there and give advice to other people in similar positions. >> reporter: he went about rehabbing his image, focusing on his military background. ten years in the british army, including two tours in afghanistan. in 2014 he launched the invictus games for wounded warriors. >> you have done it. you are invictus. >> reporter: harry and meghan made their first public appearance at this year's invictus games. humanitarian work has long been a focus for her too. and she says it's a big part of what drew them to each other. >> i think that's what got date two in the books probably. >> reporter: meghan will be giving up her acting career for a bigger role on the global stage. >> i think what's been really exciting is we talk about the transition of this out of my career but into the role is as

you said the causes that have been very important to me i can focus even more energy. >> it's not easy for anybody. whatever we have to tackle together or individually will always be us together as a team. >> the wedding will take place sometime this spring. royal watchers wondering if they may hold out for a late spring wedding after the duchess of cambridge gives birth to her third child in april, which of course begs the question, children? >> not currently, no. no, of course, one step at a time and hopefully we'll start a family in the near future. >> reporter: for "nightline," terry moran, london. next here tonight, the disturbing claims about one of the country's largest spa chains. cr s disease i kept looking for ways to manage my symptoms. i thought i was doing okay. then it hit me... managing was all i was doing. when i told my doctor, i learned humira is for people who still have symptoms of moderate to severe crohn's disease even after trying other medications.

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the national spa chain massage envy advertises a relaxing and healing experience, but some women say their experiences at the company's franchises left them traumatized. a new report says more than 180 people allege they were sexually assaulted while receiving treatments from spa employees. here is abc's linsey davis. >> it was a feeling of complete evil in the room, in the dark. >> reporter: for susan ingram what started out as a relaxing massage at this massage envy in pennsylvania turned into an agonizing experience at the hands of her masseur. >> i felt his erect penis grinding into my hand, and i froze in fear. >> reporter: susan says he then groped her breasts. >> he then reached up both legs,

put his fingers in and out of my vagina, and asked me how my 55-year-old body felt now. >> reporter: susan is now suing massage envy. >> relaxation. >> reporter: it is the largest chain of massage franchises in the country, boasting nearly 1,200 spas and more than 20,000 massage therapists nationwide. it celebrates the benefits of its massages in ads. >> massage envy. making the best of everybody. >> reporter: according to a buzzfeed investigation published this week, massage envy is now facing allegations that more than 180 people were sexually assaulted at its locations across the country. susan says soon after the assault she reported the assault to the spa manager. >> she responded with i'll invite you in to talk about your services. and i asked her if he was giving

a massage to another woman and she said yes. i said, please, i'm begging you. i am begging you to do the right thing. i need you to go down there in that room, open that door, get that woman out. she said, i can't do that. >> reporter: after susan reported the assault to police, her masseur, james dater, was arrested and eventually pleaded guilty to assaulting nine women while working at massage envy. but susan alleges she was put at risk because she says massage envy knew of at least one incident prior to her assault. >> i was the prey. he was the predator. they knew it. i didn't. it shouldn't have happened. >> reporter: danielle says she was also sexually assaulted at a massage envy location. >> it went from being an ordinary day to finding myself face down with the masseuse's hand over my mouth and him touching me completely inappropriately. >> reporter: her attack happened at this franchise in richmond, virginia in october of 2015.

>> so at the end of the massage he leaned over and whispered in my ear, "our little secret. okay?" and that was the point at which i knew that i had to come forward and report it. >> reporter: immediately afterward danielle says she spoke to the spa's manager. >> she was in shock and really seemed like a deer in the headlights. she then repeated that massage envy has zero tolerance and that they would handle it internally. and i kept responding, well, we need to call the police because he could go to any other massage parlor and work there. >> reporter: danielle says she called the police as soon as she left massage envy that day. her masseur, deshawn bollard, has since been found guilty of felony object sexual penetration and misdemeanor sexual battery. he was sentenced to prison last year. danielle has a pending lawsuit against massage envy.

although massage envy says it cannot comment on open legal cases, it told abc news, "when there's an allegation of inappropriate conduct, franchisees must report incidents to the company, immediately remove therapists, and conduct a prompt investigation. if the franchisee concludes an incident occurred, he or she must terminate the therapist, who will become ineligible for hire at any massage envy in the future." could massage envy be held liable for some of these instances? >> if you're a company that offers up franchises, you're not necessarily responsible for everything that happens in any one of those franchises. the legal question becomes can you show that there was day-to-day involvement in the operations of the company? >> reporter: massage envy also tells abc news the reported incidents occurred over a span of 15-plus years and 125 million massages but adds even one incident is too many, so we are constantly listening, learning,

and looking at how we can do more. >> is it not a crime to not report a crime? >> it's a moral obligation. but most of the time it's not a legal obligation. >> reporter: susan ingram has been pushing for a federal law requiring that massage facilities, owners, and staff must report sexual assaults to police. a version of the bill is now in congress, which could put violators in prison for up to six months. industry insiders like i-spa's former chairman gene kolb, says while it's rare the allegations are disappointing but not surprising. >> one assault is one assault too many. and as an industry it is zero tolerance. if a guest sun comfortable and they feel there has been something that has occurred inappropriately, as spa operators we should encourage them to go to their authority. >> reporter: as for susan ingram and danielle dick, they're hoping their lawsuits will

affect change. >> we can together send the message that this era of simply issuing nice statements and doing nothing about it is not going to be tolerated any longer. >> reporter: for in the i'm linsey davis in new york. and next here, the young man who made it to carnegie hall before he made it to high school. a 12-year-old piano prodigy and cancer survivor. when you're close to the people you love, does psoriasis ever get in the way of a touching moment? if you have moderate to severe psoriasis, you can embrace the chance of completely clear skin with taltz. taltz is proven to give you a chance at completely clear skin. with taltz, up to 90% of patients had a significant improvement of their psoriasis plaques. in fact, 4 out of 10 even achieved completely clear skin.

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finally here tonight, the 12-year-old making his carnegie hall debut. his abc's tom lamas. ♪ that's daniel colaner from akron, ohio leading the audience through chopin's fantasy impromptu. but to make it here daniel had to do more than practice. he had to fight for his life. playing piano part of his treatment to beat cancer. as an infant daniel was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma,