Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle were hiding a huge secret in this famous photo

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle were hiding a huge secret in this famous photo of them together.

• Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle were hiding a huge secret in one of their first ever public appearances together.
• The Duke and Duchess of Sussex went public with their relationship back in September 2017 at the Invictus Games in Toronto.
• In other royal news (opens in new tab), Prince Harry issued a heartfelt plea in a new virtual appearance (opens in new tab).

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle were reportedly hiding something major when they made their first ever public appearance together back in 2017 (opens in new tab).

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seen on their first official outing together back in the September of 2017 when they attended the Toronto Invictus Games hand in hand.

Just two months later, Clarence House announced the couple’s engagement (opens in new tab), but, according to the new book Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family (opens in new tab), it turns out that the pair were already secretly engaged when they made their first Toronto appearance together.

Duchess Meghan is also said to have hinted at the engagement with the stylish summer outfit that she wore, as her crisp white button-down short from designer friend Misha Nonoo’s collection was actually named the ‘Husband Shirt’.

The secret engagement came as quite a surprise to royal fans, as when Clarence House (opens in new tab) announced the new in the November, they wrote, ‘His Royal Highness and Ms. Markle became engaged in London earlier this month’.

‘Prince Harry has informed Her Majesty The Queen and other close members of his family. Prince Harry has also sought and received the blessing of Ms. Markle’s parents’.

When speaking about the engagement, Prince Harry also hinted that he had proposed to Duchess Meghan in the November, saying in the couple’s engagement interview, "It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage; just a standard typical night for us”.

"It just – just an amazing surprise,” added Duchess Meghan, “it was so sweet and natural and very romantic”.