London (CNN) Meghan Markle has spoken publicly for the first time about her relationship with Britain's Prince Harry in an interview with Vanity Fair.

The Toronto-based American actress, who stars in the hit US TV show 'Suits,' revealed the pair were introduced in July 2016 by mutual friends in London.

"We're two people who are really happy and in love," Markle told Vanity Fair. "We were very quietly dating for about six months before it became news, and I was working during that whole time, and the only thing that changed was people's perception.

She added: "Nothing about me changed. I'm still the same person that I am, and I've never defined myself by my relationship."

Markle spoke for the first time about her high-profile relationship in this month's Vanity Fair cover story.

In November, Prince Harry ended weeks of speculation and confirmed that they were in fact an item in a statement released by Kensington Palace.

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