Meghan Markle has confessed in a new interview she and British royal Prince Harry are "in love" and "really happy".

The 36-year-old Suits actress and the royal went public with their relationship in 2016, and have done their utmost to keep things under the radar since then. But now Meghan has opened up to Vanity Fair magazine about her love life, gushing about her boyfriend as she told the publication the couple are enjoying their privacy, for now.

"We’re a couple," she smiled. "We’re in love. 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."

Meghan and Harry met through mutual friends in July 2016, and were dating for around six months in secret before the media got hold of the story. The relationship saw the actress' profile skyrocket, and becoming a household name because of her other half has been difficult at points for the star.

"It has its challenges, and it comes in waves - some days it can feel more challenging than others," she mused. "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."

And despite the fact that her romance with Harry means she now rubs shoulders with the British elite, Meghan insists she's still the same person as she was prior to meeting the prince.

"Nothing about me changed. I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship..." she said.

In order to remain grounded, Meghan has made a deal with herself to never read any news about her relationship. That also means she has to turn a blind eye to promo material for her hit TV show, in which she plays lawyer Rachel Zane.

"I haven’t even read press for Suits. The people who are close to me anchor me in knowing who I am," she explained. "The rest is noise."