Britt Ekland's contract with 20th Century Fox took her from London to New York only five days after she had met Sellers. Already they were contemplating marriage and during a photographic session for publicity pictures Sellers proposed over the telephone. Sellers had in fact already had an interview with Roderick Mann of the Sunday Express saying that he had fallen madly in love with a Swedish starlet and he was to marry. Always a keen photographer Sellers provided the newspaper with photographs which he had personally taken of Ekland.
After their engagment was announced to the press, Ekland tried to return to London, however without a work permit she was refused entry at Heathrow. It was not until Sellers took out the marriage licence that the authorities relented.