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Simon Duke

Harry and Meghan married before Royal Wedding in 'secret' garden ceremony

Royal fans have been shocked by the bombshell that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle actually got married BEFORE their big wedding at Windsor Castle.

And it was the couple themselves who made the revelation in their headline hitting interview with Oprah Winfrey.

The much publicised 'tell all' chat aired in America on Sunday night and one of the biggest moments from it, as well as Harry and Meghan accusing the Royal Family of racism, was the news that the couple were actually married by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, in their "back yard" as Meghan told it.

Harry and Meghan's Windsor wedding on May 19 2018,had the eyes of the world on it as viewers across the globe tuned into see them tie the knot with Prince William as Harry's best man and celebrities like The Beckhams, Amal and George Clooney, James Corden and Oprah herself in attendance.

But lifting the lid on the fact they got married three days earlier, Meghan told Oprah: "You know, three days before our wedding, we got married - no-one knows that.

"Just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury."

Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex wave as they leave Windsor Castle after their wedding to attend an evening reception at Frogmore House, (Getty Images Europe)

Meghan added that they called the Archbishop as, while the wedding was "a spectacle for the world," they wanted the union to be just between them.

This has since been clarified by sources as being a 'private exchange of vows' rather than a marriage.

The public reaction on the wedding revelation has been massively divided. One Twitter user posted: "Can't believe Meghan and Harry got married a few days before the actual wedding?!?!?! What the hell!!! How COULD you be so deceitful to millions of people!!!!!" and, in agreement, another reacted: "Harry and Meghan apparently got married in a 'secret' wedding 3 days before the £37 million pound Royal wedding? What would be the point of that?

"Then why go ahead with the pomp and circumstance wedding, complete with horse drawn carriage?"

However, others applauded them for it, with one fan posting: "The fact Meghan + Harry wanted to have a private wedding ceremony in their garden before the televised event tells you everything about how uncomfortable they were with their status as members of the royal family."

Oprah With Meghan and Harry is on ITV at 9pm on Monday March 8. You can watch the full interview afterwards on the ITV hub.

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