Prince Harry "didn't tell anybody" when he first started dating Meghan Markle.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

The 33-year-old royal confirmed he is engaged to the 'Suits' actress earlier this week, but the red head has admitted he had been romantically linked to his 36-year-old fiancée for a "period of time" before he made his relationship public over a year ago.

Speaking to the BBC in their first televised interview together, he said: "I'd been seeing her for a period of time when I literally didn't tell anybody at all."

But Harry has admitted when his family got wind of the news he was dating Meghan, his brother, Prince William, and his wife Duchess Catherine were "longing" to meet his lover, although the couple have met each other "quite a few times now".

Harry added: "And then William was longing to meet her and so was Catherine, so you know, being our neighbours, we managed to get that in a couple of, well, quite a few times now."

But Harry has admitted his relatives have been "absolutely amazing" and have given the newly engaged couple "fantastic support" since he asked Meghan for her hand in marriage earlier this month.

Harry continued to praise his family. He said: "And Catherine has been absolutely amazing, as has William as well, you know, fantastic support.

"And then my father [Prince Charles] as well, we had a handful of teas and meetings and all sorts of gatherings over at his place as well.

"So no the family together have been absolutely a solid support and my grandparents as well have been wonderful throughout this whole process, and they've known for quite some time."

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