George Lucas and Mellody engaged

Writer: Elaine Ewe

George Lucas and Mellody Hobson have just gotten engaged.

4 Dec – With the New Year comes glad tidings, as filmmaker George Lucas and his girlfriend of seven years, 43-year-old businesswoman Mellody Hobson, have announced that they are engaged.

According to HuffPost Celebrity, the 68-year-old director, known for his work on "Star Wars", and his partner, who is also president of big-time Chicago-based investment management firm, Ariel Investments LLC, have been dating since 2006. The pair was not shy about their relationship, and Mellody has accompanied him to several events including the 79th Academy Awards ceremony in February 2007 and the 2010 Golden Globes.

This will be the second marriage for Lucas, who married film editor Marcia Lou Griffin in 1969. Marcia Lou Griffin was also noted to have won an Academy Award for her editing work on the original "Star Wars" film. The couple adopted a daughter, Amanda, in 1981, and divorced in 1983.

George Lucas became a household name after directing "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope" in 1977.

Lucas has since adopted two more children: Katie, born in 1988, and Jett, born in 1993, and during the 1980s, he became involved with singer Linda Ronstadt.

However, this will be Mellody's first marriage.

Lucas recently made headlines when he donated the USD 4 billion he received after selling Lucasfilm Ltd to Disney to an education foundation.

"For 41 years, the majority of my time and money has been put into the company," Lucas said of his donation. "As I start a new chapter in my life, it is gratifying that I have the opportunity to devote more time and resources to philanthropy."

There is still no word yet on when they plan to marry.