After the racial controversy surrounding Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s love life, the actress and humanitarian is speaking up, and getting quite candid about life with Prince Harry.

In an exclusive interview with Vanity Fair‘s October issue, the star publicly addressed her relationship with the 32-year-old prince for the first time since he confirmed their relationship.

“It’s really simple,” Markle states. “We’re two people who are really happy and in love.”

The 36-year-old Suits actress, who has been in a relationship for over a year and a half with the prince, also said the two dated quietly for six months before it became news.

“I can tell you that at the end of the day I think it’s really simple,” Markle, 36, said. “We’re two people who are really happy and in love. 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. Nothing about me changed.”

As for whether or not her involvement with the Prince will impact her life, Markle made it very clear that she is her own person.

“I’m still the same person that I am, and I’ve never defined myself by my relationship.