UK Edition
Meghan Markle sparks engagement rumours as she speaks of 'great love story' with Prince Harry for first time
Meghan Markle has spoken of her "great love story" with Prince Harry for the first time, confirming: "We're a couple. We're in love."
The American actress, who has been dating the Prince since summer 2016, said they were treasuring "our time", before sharing details of their relationship with the watching world.
Calling him her "boyfriend" publicly for the first time, she said: "We’re two people who are really happy and in love.”
The interview, with Vanity Fair magazine, is understood to have been conducted with the blessing of Prince Harry, with Kensington Palace aware that it would be coming out.
It has already inspired speculation of an imminent engagement, with her interview interpreted by Royal watchers as a significant step in making their relationship public and official.
Prince Harry, as fifth-in-line to the throne, must ask the Queen's permission before marriage.
The magazine interview sees Markle confirm she met Prince Harry through friends in London in July 2016 and dated quietly for months without the public becoming aware of their romance.
“I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people’s perception,” said the actress, who stars in US Netflix drama Suits.
"We’re a couple. We’re in love."
Of maintaining their privacy, she added: "I’m sure there will be a time when we will have to come forward and present ourselves and have stories to tell, but I hope what people will understand is that this is our time.
"This is for us. It’s part of what makes it so special, that it’s just ours.
"But we’re happy. Personally, I love a great love story.”
How romance blossomed for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Asked about the level of public interest, which last year led Prince Harry to issue a statement protecting his girlfriend, Markle said: “I can tell you that at the end of the day I think it’s really simple.
"We’re two people who are really happy and in love.
“I haven’t even read press for Suits. The people who are close to me anchor me in knowing who I am. The rest is noise.”
Asked by the magazine about her experience dating "one of the world’s most famous bachelors", Markle conceded that being romantically linked with Prince Harry "has its challenges"
"It comes in waves," she said. "Some days it can feel more challenging than others.
"And right out of the gate it was surprising the way things changed. But I still have this support system all around me, and, of course, my boyfriend’s support.”
Despite being one half of a royal power couple, Markle added, “nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.”
The October issue of Vanity Fair appears on newsstands in the UK on Friday, September 8. The full interview is available online.