London, UK - The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has contradicted Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry's account that they were married three days before their dream wedding at Windsor in May 2018.

"The legal wedding was on the Saturday. I signed the wedding certificate, which is a legal document," the head of the Anglican Church in England said in an interview published on Wednesday.

"I would have committed a serious criminal offense if I had signed it knowing it was false," he added.

Meghan (39) and Harry (36) had reportedly been married by Welby in a private ceremony three days before their public wedding, the royal couple revealed during their tell-all interview with talk show legend Oprah Winfrey.

Britney Spears Britney Spears is over the moon after Christmas reunion with son Jayden: "Best Christmas of my life!!!"

"We called the archbishop and we just said, look, this thing, this spectacle, is for the world, but we want our union between us," Meghan explained, adding that the pair had already exchanged their vows before the televised ceremony.

The clergyman would not say exactly what took place before the public event: "the legal wedding was on the Saturday, but I won't say what happened at any earlier meetings."

"If any of you ever talk to a priest, you expect them to keep that talk confidential," the archbishop maintained.

However, he did confirm that he had a series of private and pastoral meetings with the Duchess and Duke of Sussex prior to their official wedding.