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Exclusive: Despite ring-bearing pics, Shania's rep denies engagement

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HelloMagazine.ca
August 25, 2009

While enjoying a relaxing week in Muskoka, Shania took her son, Eja, her beau Frederic Thiebaud, and his daughter Johanna to a local wild bird show with family friends

Sights of Shania Twain and her boyfriend Frederic Thiebaud in Muskoka this week have sparked rumours of a possible engagement, or perhaps even a secret marriage. But HELLO! Canada has learned exclusively from her publicist that neither is true.

Despite both sporting bands on their ring fingers, Shania’s rep told us, “She is not married and not engaged.”

Ahead of her turn as a guest judge on "American Idol" the Ontario-born star took the week off to relax and enjoy her summer home in Lake of Bays, near Huntsville, with her son Eja, her beau Frederic, and his young daughter, Johanna.

The group of four enjoyed each other’s company, and the many water toys at their disposal. Frederic and the kids had a blast jumping up and down on an inflatable trampoline and he later took Eja out for a spin on the jet ski.

The businessman and triathlete was a good friend of Shania and her ex, Robert “Mutt” Lange. It was his wife, Marie-Anne, who was the reported cause of Shania’s marital split, and the country singer has since sought comfort in Frederic’s company.

In great spirits, the pair also visited a local Wal-Mart to stock up the cottage and later took the kids to see a wild bird show with family friends.

The "That Don’t Impress Me Much" singer - who turns 44 on Friday - sent fans a teaser video last week.

Sitting in the garden at home in Switzerland, accompanied by two of her dogs, she began saying, "First to start I want to thank you for all the beautiful birthday wishes for Eja's birthday," in reference to her eight-year-old son.

"Secondly, if you haven’t already seen on my website, for August 28 on my birthday, I will be giving a small gift of thanks for all of your support over the last year."

This, coupled with the ring-bearing pictures, lead some to believe that a secret wedding had taken place, but according to reports, the gift in question could be a video travelogue of the singer’s adventures since she and Mutt parted ways in May 2008.

For more pics of Shania’s cottage getaway, grab issue 142 of HELLO! Canada on newsstands starting Thursday, August 27.

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