Why Now Is The Right Time For When Calls The Heart's Elizabeth And Nathan To Get Engaged

Spoilers ahead for Season 13, Episode 11 of When Calls the Heart, “Trials and Trails and Tribulations.”

When Calls the Heart’s 13^th season is winding down amid the 2026 TV schedule, and there's a chance it might close out with a very memorable event. The long-running Hallmark romance drama is airing its season finale on Sunday, and all signs are pointing to the long-awaited proposal between Nathan and Elizabeth. It remains to be seen if that'll actually happen, but I'm firmly of the position that now is the perfect time for it. So let's discuss why that is.

Nathan And Elizabeth Are In A Very Good Place Right Now

Kevin McGarry’s Mountie and Erin Krakow’s schoolteacher got together at the end of Season 11, and their relationship is continuing to evolve. It’s been a few seasons Elizabeth she broke off her engagement with Lucas, who has his sights set on Edie (if that ever works out). In short, Nathan and Elizabeth are in a good place right now. They’re on the same page about a lot of aspects of their lives and, after spending time with Brooke Shields’ Charlotte Thornton, the pair and others are looking towards the future.

Nathan has also been waiting for the right time to propose, and he's been taking steps to do it. That includes getting a blessing from Charlotte, who was more than happy to give it, knowing that her grandson would be in good hands. Nathan and Charlotte also went to visit the grave of Elizabeth's husband, Jack, and the two shared a very heartwarming and heartbreaking moment that involved some much-needed closure. In short, everyone seems emotionally ready for an engagement now.

LJ’s Health Issues Have Now Been Taken Care Of

Nathan and Elizabeth aren’t the only ones in a good place. The end of Season 12 saw Little Jack, now going by LJ, diagnosed with diabetes. The three of them, along with Allie, went to Cape Fullerton for insulin while Faith tried to get the infirmary status as an insulin lab. The trio then returned to Hope Valley in the Season 13 premiere and, after the infirmary was cleared for insulin, they stayed, and LJ seems to be doing well.

Honestly, it wouldn't seem appropriate or practical for Nathan to pop the question to Elizabeth amid her child's illness. Now, an engagement seems all the more fitting given that LJ is in better health.

The Trial Against Pioneer Electric Has Come To An End

Perhaps the biggest reason for Nathan wanting to wait a bit to propose was the trial against Pioneer Electric. As part of that situation, it was discovered that the company was responsible for the wildfire at the beginning of the season, which ultimately burned down Goldie National Forest and most of neighboring Benson Hills.

The trial finally wrapped up in Sunday’s episode and, even the situation got a bit ugly, Christopher finally came back to town with the transformer that his boss told him to get rid of. The judge put the blame for the fire on Pioneer Electric, so Hope Valley and Benson Hills can finally move forward after this tragedy.

Nathan nearly proposed to Elizabeth at the end of that episode but was interrupted. So, now, he'll seemingly have to find the right moment during the finale. It’s been a long wait for a proposal, and Nathan is determined to make it happen. As for whether or not he actually gets down on one knee and proposes to Elizabeth, fans will just have to to wait and see. Hopefully, Nathan asks and Elizabeth responds in the episode, or else we’ll be waiting until 2027 for Season 14 to see if an engagement comes to fruition.

Tune in to the Season 13 finale of When Calls the Heart, which airs on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel.