They met 50 years ago when he was 19 and she was just one year younger but Alan Rickman and Rima Horton have only just gotten around to tying the knot.

The couple, who have been living together since 1977, married in a secret ceremony in New York recently, Alan, 69, has revealed to German newspaper Bild.

In an interview with Germany's Bild newspaper, he was asked what the secret to a successful relationship without getting married is and he surprisingly replied: 'We are married. Just recently. It was great, because no one was there. After the wedding in New York we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and ate lunch.'

Scroll down for video

Surprise! Alan Rickman has revealed that he recently wed Rima Horton, who he first met 50 years ago, in a secret ceremony in New York

And while Rima, 68, didn't want a huge ring, Alan bought her a $200 band, which he laughingly admitted 'she never wears'.

Economist Rima was a Labour party councillor for the Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council from 1986 to 2006.

Speaking previously about her, Alan told HELLO! magazine: 'I think every relationship should be allowed to have its own rules. She's tolerant. She's incredibly tolerant. Unbelievably tolerant. Possibly a candidate for sainthood.'

The couple have enjoyed a low-key relationship, despite living together for almost 40 years.

50 years and counting: They met 50 years ago when he was 19 and she was just one year younger but Alan and Rima have only just gotten around to tying the knot

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Alan for comment.

Alan is currently promoting his new movie A Little Chaos, which he both directed and stars in.

It sees him reunite with Kate Winslet on screen, 20 years after they worked together on the popular costume drama, Sense and Sensibility.

However, despite the presence of him and Winslet, Rickman admitted getting funding for the film was touch.

'It's difficult these days to make a film like that, to finance it. It's all right if it's a long series on television, but the movies as we know are full of comic books and superheroes. You`ve got to fight hard,' he told AAP while in Sydney.

Brains to burn: Economist Rima (pictured with Alan in 2002) was a Labour party councillor for the Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council from 1986 to 2006

'But people always needs to be told a story. It's patronising to people to think that they just want bubblegum with the bubblegum.'

A Little Chaos centres on Winslet's character, Sabine De Barra, a landscape designer who has been hired by Louis XIV's landscape artist Andre Le Notre, to design an outdoor ballroom.

It's a character driven piece that focuses on a love story developing between De Barra and Le Notre, played by Matthias Schoenaerts (Rust and Bone, The Drop).

Rickman is confident people who go to see the film will become emersed in the story thanks to the brilliance of Winslet.

Winslet, after 20 years since Sense and Sensibility was released, has developed into one of the best actresses of her generation.

'It's an extraordinary experience to have worked with somebody when they're 19 and then to revisit a working relationship when she's 37, and with kids and life history,' Rickman said of Winslet, who was drawn to the feminist film.

No fuss: While Rima, 68, didn't want a huge ring, Alan (pictured with her in 1992) bought her a $200 band, which he laughingly admitted 'she never wears'

'It's definitely feminist. It's written by a woman (Alison Deegan) and it's a set in a world where men dominated and women are decorative objects so that's another reason for Kate wanting to be involved,' he said.

Rickman is also in there, playing a convincing Louis XIV and he says he has now returned to the 'day job' of acting.

Although he hasn't quite finished with his directorial duties on A Little Chaos just yet.

'It takes a long time to shrug a film off that you've directed,' he said.

However, this is one film he doesn't mind living with a little while longer.

'It's OK because I'm proud of it and I'm proud of the work that everybody did in it, so it's like you're holding up the flag for a different kind of story telling.'